Man who sliced his brother's ear is jailed for five years

A Shannon man who nearly cut his brother’s left ear in half in a “vicious assault” with a hatchet and a lump hammer was jailed for five years yesterday.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Gerald Keys said that Michael James McDonagh (38) “is a danger to society and, in particular, a danger to his brother and his family”.

Last Friday, a jury returned a unanimous verdict. The judge found Michael James McDonagh of Ballymurtagh halting site, Shannon, guilty of the assault causing harm to his brother, Michael McDonagh, at the same address, on August 31st last year.

The judge said that he would suspend the last year of the sentence on condition that MrMcDonagh agree, after his release, not to go within 500 yards of the Ballymurtagh halting site and not speak or communicate with his brother or family unless they provide written permission that he can do so to the Garda.

Judge Keys also made it conditional that Mr McDonagh enter a rehabilitation programme on his release.