A man has appeared at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court following a violent rampage where he threatened the lives of Gardaí while wielding an axe.
On May 1 last year, 32 year old Damien O’Sullivan, of St. Brigid’s Place, Sligo, went on a seven hour rampage, where he threatened the kill Gardaí by chasing them with an axe.
He also damaged two Garda vans and a patrol car, barricaded himself in his home and threw tiles off the roof at Gardaí.
Gardaí who were threatened at the scene recalled the events at yesterday’s court meeting, according to this morning’s Irish Times.
Garda Mark Irwin told the court that he “felt totally and utterly helpless” when he saw the defendant running towards the van with a hatchet, and “knew he was going to use it”.
Mr. O’Sullivan was pepper sprayed several times, after which he ran up the street and things “escalated”, according to a statement from Garda Clodagh Sharkey.
Three of the Gardaí jumped into the patrol van, and the defendant started to hit the front of the vehicle with the axe, threatening to kill them, and also broke a window.
The Gardaí ran up the street, until the man was subdued by taser at around 8:00am. A 999 call about Mr. O’Sullivan came at 1:00am.
The defendant pleaded guilty in December to endangering the lives of and threatening to kill the Gardaí.
Mr. Colm Smyth SC, defendant for Mr. O’Sullivan, told the court that the defendant was “truly sorry” for his actions and has continuing mental health isssues.
Judge Keenan Johnson remanded him in custody to July 15 for sentencing and ordered psychiatric care for him to be “fast tracked”.
