Man raised meat cleaver outside window at neighbour's home in Portglenone in middle of the night
A man raised a meat cleaver in the middle of the night outside a window at a neighbour's home in Portglenone, a court has heard.
The judge described it as a "very concerning" incident.
Connor McCarte (43), previously with an address listed as Gortaheran Crescent, Portglenone, but now given as Galgorm Road in Ballymena, was sentenced on charges of possessing a meat cleaver as an offensive weapon, and harassment.
According to the charge sheet he had a meat cleaver as as offensive weapon at Garvaghy Grove, Portglenone, 'without lawful authority or reasonable excuse' on February 24 this year.
The harassment charge related to between October 2025 and February this year.
A prosecutor said McCarte banged on the neighbour's windows and on one occasion he had a meat cleaver.
A previous court was told the meat cleaver incident was at 2am on February 24.
The occupants of the house, including a child, were awakened.
Ballymena Magistrates' Court was told the defendant "had the meat cleaver at the bedroom window and had raised it".
The meat cleaver was not recovered.
A defence barrister said the defendant had previously been friends with the people in the property.
“On this particular evening he had trouble at his home, other individuals causing issues around his home, and he had come out in the manner that he did and then went, on his account, to seek assistance from his neighbours".
District Judge Nigel Broderick said: "This would have been very concerning for the victims. To turn up at anyone's house uninvited and cause annoyance is bad enough but to turn up with a meat cleaver is extremely concerning behaviour".
To "prevent re-offending" he put McCarte on Probation for a year with a condition that he would engage with any "alcohol / drug counselling".
The defendant was also ordered to do 75 hours of Community Service. A two-year Restraining Order was also put in place.