Offaly man given prison sentence for threatening bus driver

An Offaly man was convicted and sentenced to a month's imprisonment for threatening a bus driver, during the September 24 sitting of Tullamore District Court.

Before the court was Thomas McDonagh, 26 Presentation Place, Birr, who was charged with committing an act of threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour in a public place in Emmet Square, Birr on December 17, 2024.

Sergeant Brendan Kearns told the court that the defendant was travelling on a Bus Eireann bus and when it pulled into Emmet Square “he became verbally abusive towards the bus driver. He raised his arms in such a way that the driver was worried that he might be hit.”

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The Sergeant said the defendant had 42 previous convictions including careless driving, criminal damage, trespass, burglary, theft and threatening behaviour. “He is currently in Midlands Prison serving a nine month sentence.”

The defending solicitor Patrick Martin told the court that his client “suffers greatly from mental health issues. At this moment in time he is in a much more stable frame of mind.”

Judge Andrew Cody said that hardworking people such as this bus driver “shouldn't be exposed to this type of behaviour.”

He convicted and sentenced to a month in prison, to run after McDonagh's current prison sentence expires.