Omagh man refused bail over stabbing spree

A COURT has been told how a young Omagh man stabbed four people during a violent spree at the OASIS Plaza in the town earlier this year.

Nathan McDonagh (18), of Tamlaght Road, in the town is charged with a series of offences arising out of the incident close to the bus depot at Drumragh Avenue on Saturday night, May 14 last.

They include wounding with intent to do grevious bodily harm, three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon with intent and an assault. Police objected to bail for McDonagh, who is currently in custody.

At a hearing this week, Omagh Magistrates Court was told there were a number of youths gathered in the area at around 10.15pm on that night.

A police officer said that while officers were present, a knife was produced and a number of people ‘sustained cuts’.

He added that interviews carried out by the PSNI using body-worn cameras identified McDonagh as the alleged person responsible for carrying out the attack and causing the injuries.

He was arrested and a knife was recovered.

The court heard that four people were injured, but that only one of them had submitted an official complaint.

The officer said that the area seemed to be used by young people for gathering, and had been re-developed by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council for entertainment, bands and other activities.

The court was further told that McDonagh had been investigated in relation to 38 different offences since 2017, and that these included possession of a knife, possession of a hammer, throwing petrol bombs, hijacking a car and stabbing someone in the foot,

However, when questioned in relation to these alleged 38 incidents, the officer acknowledged that McDonagh had not been charged in relation to all of them.

Defence solicitor, Peter Canavan, said that an address had been found for McDonagh in Coalisland, which he added was quite a distance from Omagh.

However, the District Judge refused bail on the grounds of the risk of re-offending, no suitable address and the risk of McDonagh not abiding by bail conditions which might be imposed.

The case was adjourned until September 27.