A 27-YEAR-OLD man who threatened to kill another man not long after being released from prison later told police that he was “just slagging”, Fermanagh Magistrates Court has heard.

Dominic McGoldrick, of Sycamore Drive, Enniskillen, was charged with making threats to kill Mark Reid and threatening to damage a house belonging to him on June 19, 2015.

At his sentencing on Monday, the court heard that police were called to Pat’s Bar in Enniskillen after receiving reports of a male refusing to leave the premises.

The defendant had to be restrained by bar staff before leaving the area, the court heard.

Police were later flagged down by the injured party, who informed them that McGoldrick had threatened him and warned him that he knew where he and his family lived.

Other witnesses stated that the defendant had been in Wetherspoons Bar before he said he was going to finish the job and left.

After the police showed McGoldrick CCTV footage of the incident, he denied threatening the man and instead claimed he was “just slagging”.

The defendant made no further comment, the court heard.

Defending counsel, Steffan Rafferty, told the court that his client had just completed a nine-month prison sentence not long before this incident had occurred.

The barrister said that McGoldrick didn’t go out looking for trouble on the date in question, but conceded that he did not get on with the injured party and there were “issues between them”.

District judge, Nigel Broderick, observed that the defendant had a “very poor record” and had been in prison a number of times.

However, the judge said there was a “glimmer of hope” in the pre-sentence report that had been prepared, with McGoldrick indicating that he wanted to “clear up this mess”.

Mr Broderick said this change in attitude had been inspired by the birth of his daughter.

Acknowledging that the defendant was attempting to change his ways and address his issues, the judge said he had a “long way to go”.

Imposing a six-month jail term, suspended for the maximum three years, Mr Broderick added: “Breach it and the likelihood is you will go to prison.”