A Portadown man has been landed with six months in jail for showing up at a house with a baseball bat and making threats.
Airidas Daugela, 23, of Alexandra Gardens, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, charged with threats to kill, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, attempted criminal damage and disorderly behaviour.
The court heard that on November 14 of last year, police attended an address in Charles Park, Portadown following reports of a male with a baseball bat threatening a resident inside.
Police spoke with the injured party, who said that the defendant approached the door of his property armed with the bat.
He then observed the defendant in the garden throwing the bat at the window, which caused no damage. He then told the injured party, “I will f*****g kill you”.
The injured party then approached Daugela in the street and the defendant lifted the baseball bat and threw it at him in an “aggressive manner.” Daugela then left the area after challenging the injured party to a fight in the street.
When reading the pre-sentence report, Deputy District Judge Kennedy said that Daugela had “an appalling record.”
Daugela’s defence counsel, Seamus Lannon BL, said that the offences stemmed from a dispute, and “he went and dealt with it in a very foolish way”.
Judge Kennedy added: “The pre-sentence report makes sorry reading in terms of your propensity to aggression. You didn’t attend any medical appointments when offered, regarding anger management.
“The report essentially says that you demonstrate no evidence of remorse or concern for the impact of your offending on others. You attempted to defend your behaviour and minimise responsibility, and you’re assessed as a high likelihood of reoffending.
“Your behaviour, Mr Daugela, is quite simply appalling and you’re not learning from previous mistakes.”
Concluding that the seriousness of the offences warranted a custodial sentence, Judge Kennedy imposed a six month sentence for the threat to kill, five months for the possession of the offensive weapon, five months for the attempted criminal damage and three months for the disorderly behaviour.
The sentence for the threat to kill charge is to run concurrently with the remaining sentences, leaving a total of six months in custody.
The threat to damage property was withdrawn.
