Louth man jailed for 12 months over town centre affray which stopped traffic
A man who carried a stick during a disturbance in Dundalk town centre has been jailed for 12 months.
Cian Woods (32), Bigstown, Ardee, Co. Louth, was before Judge Dara Hayes for sentencing having pleaded guilty to a charge of affray.
The circuit court heard previously how a sunny summer’s evening was disturbed by two men fighting, at one point bringing traffic to a standstill as they went at it in the middle of the street.
The defendant was topless and had a piece of timber during an incident which began at 7pm on July 24, 2024, and lasted for around 10 minutes. A co-accused had pulled a branch from a tree at Dundalk’s Market Square.
This man, Jimmy McDonagh (20), Castletown Road, Dundalk, has also admitted a charge of affray and will be sentenced in October.
It was stated on Mr Woods’ behalf that he has a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science Degree from DkIT and is studying in Dublin for a Masters.
Details were given of 39 previous convictions, among them assault, production of an article in the course of a dispute, possession of knives, burglary, criminal damage and possession of drugs.
A probation officer assessed him at high risk of reoffending. Risk factors included problems with emotion regulation and a history of reacting violently on occasion, inappropriately on others and in this case in an “ugly fashion”.
However, his barrister Ronan O’Carroll submitted that the defendant had made great strides. He did anger management courses but these ceased because of the cost.
He instructed that he was drug-free having not smoked cannabis in a number of years, while alcohol intake was virtually nil.
Mr Woods was focussed on his education and “quite good academically”. He was eager to find work.
A probation officer had reported that as a holder of two Science degrees, the defendant’s erratic behaviour was difficult to comprehend in that context.
Sentencing had been put back to allow Mr Woods complete Level 8 exams in Tallaght TU.
On the adjourned date, Judge Dara Hayes said that aggravating factors were the use of a stick, the duration of the offending, relevant previous convictions and that it occurred in the currency of a suspended sentence.
Mr Woods has an MS diagnosis, while a letter from his sister said that he needed help.
For a separate matter, Cian Woods on May 3, 2023, received a three-year sentence, the final 20 months suspended for 18 months.
That suspended sentence was activated. Judge Hayes sentenced the defendant to a consecutive three months, the final 17 months suspended.