Suspended sentence activated

A MONAGHAN TOWN man who committed further offences, while on a suspended sentence imposed at the start of last year, had that three-month sentence activated when the matter came before Monaghan District Court.

A solicitor for Nathan O’Leary (28) of Glenview Drive, Monaghan Town, told the court that things had become “even more chaotic” at home for O’Leary in recent times when a petrol bomb attack was made on the house.

O’Leary had appeared by video link from prison, where he is currently serving two consecutive three-month terms handed down at the court on April 22 last. These were for spitting in a public service vehicle, and thereby obliging its owner, Desmond Callery, to carry out a €175 valet; and for assaulting Michael McCarron. Both offences had occurred at Monaghan’s Old Cross Square on April 15, 2025.

At the more recent hearing it was confirmed to Judge Raymond Finnegan that a three-month sentence for earlier public order offences had been imposed on O’Leary at the court on January 6, 2025, but suspended for 12 months on condition there be no reoffending in the interim.

Sergeant Lisa McEntee agreed with the judge that the suspended sentence was therefore in place at the time of the Old Cross Square incidents.

Solicitor Roisin Courtney said her client was a chronic alcoholic who came from a chaotic home.

She accepted that O’Leary was a repeat offender, and that this was because of his addiction problems.

Judge Finnegan commented that, as he always said, he gave suspended sentences for a reason. That reason was to “give people a chance”. But Mr O’Leary had chosen not to take the chance, and the suspended sentence was therefore being revoked in full.

This meant that the defendant was to begin serving a further three months following completion of the current sentence, the judge stipulated.

* This article was produced with support from the Courts Reporting Scheme