District judge warns Tyrone man found with child's baseball bat 'not to take the law into his own hands'
A district judge has warned a Co Tyrone man who he said was “marauding about” with a child’s baseball bat, not to take the law into his own hands.
Damien Connolly, aged 38, from Gortview Park, Coalisland, admitted a charge of having an offensive weapon, the baseball bat, in a public place on August 13 last when he appeared at Dungannon Magistrates Court.
Judge Francis Rafferty sentenced Connolly to four months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and made a destruction order for the baseball bat.
Prosecuting counsel said police received a report of the defendant outside a male’s house in the Torrent Close area of Coalisland.
She said he was holding a baseball bat and was shouting threats in the street.
A defence lawyer said it was a child’s baseball bat and had ‘Tenerife’ marked on its side.
The judge told Connolly “whatever difficulty” he had with the male, he must not take the law into his own hands.