Enniskillen Court House
A MAN who is charged with kidnapping his partner and infant son from Irvinestown and driving drunk to Ballyshannon at the weekend has been remanded in custody.
Jason McDonagh (26) who lives in a trailer on Station Road, Ballyshannon was brought before Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday after being arrested at the weekend after the alleged incident, which is said to have begun last Friday night and ended on Saturday afternoon, and in which he is also accused of stabbing his partner in the hand.
McDonagh faces charges of possession of an offensive weapon, namely a knife, two counts of kidnapping, one charge of dangerous driving, and one charge of wounding with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.
The court was told McDonagh’s partner had recently got a house at Sally’s Wood in Irvinestown, and on Friday evening she was at the house getting it ready to move in when she said McDonagh called to the door.
She said he appeared drunk, and came into the house despite social services not being allowing him contact with his baby son. His partner said his mood changed when he came in, and he “looked evil”, and began threatening her.
It is alleged McDonagh then tried to hit her with a brush, demanding she and the baby get in the car. She said he then got a steak knife from her kitchen, stabbing her in the hand as she put her hand up to protect her face.
McDonagh is also alleged to have grabbed her by the hair and headbutted her in the cheek, and demanded she made him a roll-up cigarette.
Telling police McDonagh “looked evil”, his girlfriend said she felt she had no choice but to go in the car with him. His girlfriend said he drove them to Ballyshannon, and was “driving like a lunatic.”
McDonagh is alleged to have assaulted his partner, while they were in Ballyshannon, however that is the subject to a separate investigation by An Garda Siochana.
Police were called by Gardai at around 1pm on Saturday, after they received a 999 call that said McDonagh’s girlfriend had been assaulted. The Gardai told police the family were believed to be returning to Irvinestown.
Police stopped McDonagh’s silver Ford Focus on the Killadeas Road on Saturday afternoon. His distressed partner and baby son were also in the car.
The officers believed McDonagh to be intoxicated, and he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving. He returned an evidential reading of 84 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
The court was told McDonagh’s partner, with whom he was in a relationship since November last year, was now under police protection as she feared for her life, and that members of McDonagh’s family had been making enquiries as to her whereabouts.
When arrested, McDonagh denied the allegations against him, stating he had only gone to the house in Irvinestown because he was concerned for the safety of his partner and child, stating he believed her cousin who was dangerous was calling to the house.
Defence solicitor Michelle McVeigh, applying for bail on McDonagh’s behalf, pointed out the investigation was ongoing and stressed McDonagh insisted his partner’s injuries were not inflicted by him.
Ms McVeigh added McDonagh was not a flight risk as he had no passport and was committed to his baby son in Fermanagh.
Police objected to bail on the grounds McDonagh, who as 117 previous convictions in the South, may reoffend or interfere with witnesses.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said it was a bail hearing, not a trail, but said he was satisfied there was a prima facie case against him. He denied McDonagh bail and adjourned the case until December 12.
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