Man who wielded slash hook receives prison sentence

A MAN who produced a slash hook during the course of an argument with family members was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment at last week’s sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
John Paul Maughan (26) of 5 Naomh Ceallach, Kilkelly pleaded guilty to the production of a slash hook which he produced at his home on September 27, 2015.
The incident occurred when the defendant and his wife, Rosie and Thomas McDonagh and his wife Philomena got into an argument when they arrived home from a function held in the Yeats County Inn in Curry, Co Sligo.
The two couples had got into an argument on their way home and when Mr Maughan got to his home, he produced the slash hook. The court heard that the slash hook was taken from him and he received two deep lacerations to his left arm and was hospitalised.
Mr Eoin Garavan, counsel for Mr Maughan said his client produced the slash hook when he was in the house and waved it out the window. It was taken from him and used against him.
When Gardaí arrived at the scene following a 999 call, Mr Maughan was waiting outside the house with a t-shirt wrapped around his bleeding arm. He admitted producing the slash hook to the gardaí.
Mr Maughan has 21 previous convictions and committed the offence while serving a suspended prison sentence. Mr Garavan said his client had young children and his absence was causing difficulties.
Judge Rory McCabe said Mr Maughan had produced the slash hook and had only himself to blame for the injuries sustained. He also questioned why he had a slash hook in the house. He sentenced Mr Maughan to two and a half years in prison and suspended the last six months for a period of two years.