Thirty hours community service for man caught with lump hammer outside pub in Mayo town

A LITHUANIAN man who was found carrying a lump hammer outside a Castlebar pub in the early hours of the morning has been ordered to carry out community service after pleading guilty to a public order offence at Castlebar District Court.

Sergej Fedorci of Lucan Street, Castlebar, pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act.

Sergeant Fiona Farrell told the court that on July 14, 2024, gardaí received a report of a disturbance involving two intoxicated males at Cox's Bar and Restaurant on Tucker Street, Castlebar. The men were observed causing annoyance to door staff.

Fedorci left the area and later returned and was found to be carrying a lump hammer and was arrested. When shown CCTV footage in the course of the investigation, he confirmed: "Yes, it's me and my hammer."

He has no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Gary Mulchrone told the court that Fedorci has lived in Ireland for nine years and was the sole carer for his young daughter, who was staying with her mother in Lithuania at the time of the incident.

He described the episode as an aberration, saying Fedorci had overindulged while his daughter was away and called it a foolish escapade.

He said Fedorci was normally hard-working and employed locally, and that he was grateful the matter had been dealt with swiftly.

Judge Vincent Deane ordered Fedorci to complete 30 hours of community service in lieu of a three-month custodial sentence.

* Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.