Slash hook and brush brandished by Offaly husband, wife and son-in-law

A HUSBAND and wife and their son-in-law have all been sentenced following a violent disorder incident in Birr where a neighbour was threatened with a slash hook.

Patrick O'Brien (45) and his wife Michelle O'Brien (41), 41 Kearney Drive, Tullamore appeared before Tullamore District Court for finalisation of sentencing following guilty pleas in September.

Gerald Maughan (25), 17 The Heritage, Birr, who Judge Andrew Cody was told was a son-in-law of the other two accused, had likewise previously admitted offences.

Patrick O'Brien and Michelle O'Brien pleaded guilty to violent disorder at The Heritage, Main Street, Birr on August 23 last year and with producing slash hooks. Ms O'Brien also admitted producing a floor brush as a weapon.

Gerald Maughan similarly admitted violent disorder and producing a slash hook, along with another charge of damaging a window and door at 11 The Heritage.

All three defendants were represented by Aisling Maloney, solicitor and defence counsel David Nugent, BL.

They were prosecuted by Garda Jonathan Kelly and CCTV from The Heritage in Birr, which was described by court presenter Sergeant Justine Reilly as a public housing complex, was played in court.

The court heard that members of the O'Brien family and Mr Maughan lived on one side of the area and there was a history of dispute with a family nearby.

Michelle O'Brien was captured on the CCTV with a brush and a stick while both Patrick O'Brien and Gerald Maughan were seen with a slash hook.

When Judge Cody was told there was no audio with the clip which was being played in court he remarked: “We can guess it's not happy Christmas anyway that's being said.”

The three accused people were recorded coming in and out and brandishing weapons but there was no assault captured by the camera.

At one point Mr Maughan could be seen with his top off holding a slash hook and Sergeant Reilly said Mr O'Brien waved the same slash hook in a threatening manner.

“Shouting and abuse came from both sides towards each other,” said Sergeant Reilly.

She said Mr Maughan had fired objects at the home of the injured party, a girl who was celebrating her 20th birthday. Damage was caused to a window and door.

Judge Cody was told Mr Maughan had nine previous convictions, including one for a public order offence.

He had been disqualified from driving in 2024 for holding a mobile phone while driving, Sergeant Reilly said.

Patrick O'Brien had 56 previous convictions in total, including one from earlier in November for handling a stolen two-berth caravan.

He also had previous public order convictions, had committed road traffic offences, received a six-month suspended sentence for assault in 2023 and had one previous conviction for producing an article in a dispute, for which he also received a six-month suspended sentence.

Michelle O'Brien also had previous convictions, two of which were for public order offences and one of which was for aiding a person to escape custody.

Sergeant Reilly said the offences now before the court would trigger the activation of a three-month suspended sentence which had been imposed on her in 2024. She also had a conviction for parking in a disabled bay.

Judge Cody asked if there was any compensation being offered for the broken windows and Mr Nugent said that was complicated by the fact that it was alleged that windows of his client had been broken by the other parties in the dispute.

Mr Maughan had to pay for his own broken window, said Mr Nugent, adding that all was “quite calm” between the parties for over a year now and they appeared to have learned their lesson.

Mr Nugent said the O'Briens were parents of 10 children and also had a child who was deceased. Defence counsel said it was clear from the video that nobody was actually struck with the slash hook and it had instead been used to “deter people from attacking Mr O'Brien”.

He said there was a complicated history in relation to the parties but everybody had since seen sense.

“In the heat of temper things happen when they shouldn't,” he told the judge. He said there was no doubt Patrick O'Brien had a “chequered history” but matters had calmed down.

Judge Cody said a young woman had been threatened and there was “not a cent” of compensation before the court for the damage.

“This was a terrifying ordeal for this young lady on her 20th birthday,” he said.

He imposed two consecutive eight-month prison sentences on Patrick O'Brien.

Recognisances for an appeal were fixed in the man's own bond of €100, plus an independent surety of €500 or the same amount of cash.

Mr O'Brien could only be released on appeal on condition he resided at 41 Kearney Drive, remained sober, observed a curfew from 8pm, had no contact with the young woman in The Heritage and stayed out of Birr.

Judge Cody sentenced Michelle O'Brien to two consecutive six-month sentences and fixed appeal recognisances similar to those of her husband.

He also ordered that the question of the activation of the other suspended sentence be considered at Tullamore District Court on November 25, by video link from prison if necessary.

The court was told by Mr Nugent that Mr Maughan was a father of two with another child on the way.

The incident before the court was a “matter that got out of hand” and the man had told his defence team that his own windows were broken beforehand.

Judge Cody again noted that no compensation was before the court and imposed three consecutive eight-month sentences.

Recognisances were fixed for an appeal and among the conditions of release were that Mr Maughan live at least 10km from the town of Birr and observe a curfew from 8pm.

Mr Nugent then sought legal aid for the O'Briens and told the judge that neither of them were working.

Judge Cody responded: “Mrs O'Brien is handy with a sweeping brush so why isn't she working and using it constructively?”

Mr Nugent repeated that neither of them were working and Judge Cody granted legal aid, assigning solicitor Aisling Maloney.

(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme)