AN IRVINESTOWN man who defecated on a local woman’s doorstep has been sentenced to five months in prison for harassment.
Leeroy McDonagh (34) of Sally’s Wood appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Wednesday, via videolink from Maghaberry Prison.
McDonagh pleaded guilty to harassment in relation to the incident in Irvinestown on September 25th, and waived his right to a pre-sentence report, with his defence barrister Ciaran Roddy stating it was accepted a prison sentence would be inevitable.
The court heard McDonagh had harassed the woman at her home, making her feel alarmed and distressed, later returning and attempting to defecate on her doorstep.
McDonagh had been shouting at the woman, asking to see her husband, and accusing him of being involved with corrupt police. The woman was afraid of what he might do, and called the police.
The previous day McDonagh had called to the house, knocked on the door, and shouted at her husband who had answered.
The woman told police the incidents – which were captured on CCTV – had left her anxious and unable to sleep.
When arrested on September 25, McDonagh made full admissions to police. He has been remanded in custody since his arrest.
Mr Roddy said McDonagh had no objections to an application for a restraining order, and would not be bothering the woman again in future as intended to move from Irvinestown to Enniskillen. He added the defendant had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
The barrister added McDonagh – who has over 90 previous convictions, but none for harassment – suffered from “intrusive thoughts”, which were a factor in his behaviour, and there “doesn’t appear to be meaningful support in the community to deal with it.”
District Judge Alana McSorley said it was clear the custody threshold had been crossed, stating McDonagh’s actions had been “despicable.”
She sentenced him to five months in prison, and imposed a two year restraining order preventing him from contact with the woman.
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