Man armed himself wth wheel brace after girlfriend was assaulted
Published 9 Oct 2012 10:04
A 24-year-old man armed himself with a wheel brace when he went looking for the person who had assaulted his girlfriend, Fermanagh Court has heard.
Ryan Michael Breen, of Foxhill Close, Enniskillen, was given 100 hours of community service when he admitted having the offensive weapon.
A prosecutor explained that at approximately 1.30am on Monday, February 27, police saw Breen running along the Cornagrade Road towards the Johnston Bridge in Enniskillen. He was carrying a large metal object in his left hand. The officers stopped to speak to him and saw that it was a wheel brace. He told them his girlfriend had been assaulted, adding: "I'm looking for who did it."
When cautioned for having an offensive weapon he replied: "Not happy."
He was interviewed on Sunday, April 29, and admitted leaving home with the wheel brace, looking for the man who had hit his girlfriend.
Defence solicitor, Mr. Michael Fahy, said: "He does appreciate that he gave little thought to his actions and the consequences of his actions."
He said Breen lived with his partner and two young sons and had removed himself from a number of negative peer influences.
Asked if Breen had made a complaint to the police about the assault on his girlfriend, Mr. Fahy replied: "I don't believe he has."
District Judge John Meehan said Breen had got himself into trouble and because neither he nor his girlfriend had made a complaint the person who had assaulted her had not been approached by police. The matter should have been reported to the police that night and that might have led to the apprehension of the assailant.
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