Tipperary man fined for an axe he used to hit car in Thurles

A Thurles man has been fined €400 by Thurles District Court for producing an axe in public.

Alan McCarthy (29) of 15 Cabra Court, Thurles, was charged with producing, in public, an item likely to intimidate or cause serious injury on September 21, 2021, at Stradvoher, Thurles.

The arresting garda told the court he received a call to go to Cabra Court.

He had been informed that both the caller and the defendant had been at Centra in Stradavoher when the defendant produced an axe and struck his car.

The court heard the car sustained a “small amount of damage.”

The garda retrieved the CCTV from the premises, which confirmed the incident.

The barrister acting for the accused told the court that the axe was for work and that his client only produced it because he believed the occupant of the other vehicle had a metal bar.

He said his client was “in fear” for his safety.

The barrister said Mr McCarthy is married with three children and has three weeks left on an apprenticeship. Mr McCarthy has 18 previous convictions including for firearms and offensive weapons and public order offences.

Judge Catherine Hayden said she acknowledged the axe was for work but it wasn’t appropriate to have it out in public.

She convicted the defendant and fined him €400.