Kilkenny presbytery burglar jailed

A man who told a social worker “I’m going to slit your throat,” has been convicted of a public order offence at Kilkenny District Court.

Jason McDonagh, 9 Brother Thomas Place, Kilkenny, has also been convicted of burglary at a Kilkenny presbytery, on a separate occasion.

Sergeant Morgan O’Connor told the court that on July 11 last Mr McDonagh entered the presbytery on James’s Street. There was nobody in the property at the time and he ‘went through’ the drawers in upstairs bedrooms.

Following a report from a member of the public that someone had been seen entering and exiting the building, gardaí investigated.

Drawers opened
Mr McDonagh was identified. He told gardaí he went in looking for food, but when the resident returned the drawers were found open. Nothing was taken.

A garda gave evidence of charging Mr McDonagh with using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour on August 23, 2024, at Parnell Street. His reply after charge was: “I said it but I didn’t mean it. I’m not like that.”

Solicitor Chris Hogan accepted Mr McDonagh had been investigated for making a threat to kill. He was not charged with this and pleaded guilty to the charge of using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.

The court heard the charge arose from an incident on August 23 last when Mr McDonagh had a conversation with a social worker during which the threat was uttered.

Mr Hogan said his client had asked him to apologise on his behalf.

In relation to the burglary, Mr McDonagh accepted that he went into the premises but not that he took anything. He had been there before, where help had been provided to him.
He was homeless at the time and his mental health was not good.

In relation to using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour, Mr Hogan said his client said the words but didn’t mean them.

There were 15 previous convictions recorded against Mr McDonagh.

Judge Geraldine Carthy noted the guilty pleas and mitigation given.
She convicted him on the burglary charge and imposed a sentence of four months imprisonment.
On the charge of using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour a concurrent sentence of two months was handed down.