A businessman who “turned to alcohol” after his company was dissolved assaulted his ex-partner and another man before hiding in the trees at the back of the property.
Connor Ignatious McCann, 49, of Carrickaness Gardens in Benburb, appeared at Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Newry, on a raft of charges spanning three separate occasions.
The first incident occurred on Saturday, April 20, police received a report that McCann was on Station Road, Armagh and was believed to be driving a DAF lorry under the influence at approximately 2.55pm.
He moved slightly forward before being stopped by police. He failed a preliminary breath test at the scene and subsequent police checks found that McCann was a disqualified driver. He was arrested and provided a lower evidential reading of 93 while in custody.
The second incident occurred on Monday, June 24, when a man was on the forecourt of the SPAR filling station in Benburb fuelling his vehicle when McCann approached him, had a verbal argument, before punching him in the ribs and walking away.
The same man was again assaulted on Sunday, July 7 when police were called to an ongoing domestic incident at an address in Armagh.
McCann arrived at his ex-partner’s home address.
A prosecution barrister told the court how he was “irate on arrival”.
She added: “There were verbals between the defendant and the two injured parties. The defendant swung a closed fist towards the injured parties in an attempt to hit [the male]…the ex partner then pushed the defendant back towards his vehicle.
“He got into the vehicle, put the windows down and there were further verbals. Both injured parties stood outside the vehicle window and a physical fight broke out between the two males until the ex-partner broke it up.
“She had removed the vehicle keys and tried to keep the defendant in the car until police arrived but due to his irate behaviour, she stood back.
“The defendant attempted to enter the property, but the injured party stood in the way. He grabbed her and pushed her.”
The court heard how McCann then got into the trees at the rear of the property.
At 6.45pm, police arrived at the address. On arrival, both injured parties, along with two older children, were standing at the side of the property.
Police observed redness to the ex-partner’s chest, and the defendant appeared out from the trees. He was arrested and taken to Dungannon custody, where an evidential breath test was conducted with the defendant given the lower rate of 63 micrograms. He admitted the driving offences but stated “he acted in self defence”.
Defence barrister, Conor Coulter, said he he had to “accept that his behaviour, particularly in relation to the assault incident, combined with the driving whilst disqualified and under the influence of alcohol, is appalling.”
He added: “His four young children were present for what was undoubtedly a fairly traumatic experience. He is accepting of the impact of that on them.
“He has managed to re-engage in terms of contact; that contact is supervised by his mother, so that relationship has repaired to some extent, and it remains to be seen how that develops over the coming years.”
Mr Coulter said McCann was a man that had an excellent employment history up until last year, at his company, which he owned.
“He employed some 150 individuals across this jurisdiction and the wider UK,” the barrister explained.
“He was unpaid for a project in England to the cost of £4 million. The company dissolved and since then, it’s been a downward spiral. He’s fully accepting that in terms of trying to cope with that, he turned to alcohol. Since then, he’s repeatedly found himself in front of the courts and that’s reflected in his criminal record.
“He’s now, to his credit, engaging with a number of services and agencies, including the AA and the crisis team. He’s also engaging with addiction services.”
District Judge Anne Marshall said the custody threshold was met for each of the offences and “taken together, you’re very well passed it”.
“I am then brought a copy of your criminal record and see that you were also done for driving with excess alcohol on the February 19. You’re back before court on March 15. Just four weeks later, what do you do? Your back out driving disqualified. You didn’t keep it for any longer than about four and a half weeks and you also recorded a reading of 93.
“I mean, it just beggars belief that again, on July 7, you were back out again, not only driving while disqualified and extremely intoxicated, but you also assault two people and you have another assault on June 24.
“So you should be going to custody today.”
However, Judge Marshall spared McCann prison, instead handing him a Probation Order of one year, coupled with 80 hours of community service.
He was also given a four month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
As well as his multiple drink driving offences in 2024, Judge Marshall referenced similar offending in McCann’s record for 2004 and 1999, before handing him a five year ban.
