A Letterkenny man has been handed a series of concurrent prison sentences arising out of a litany of offences over a six-year period.
John Sweeney appeared before Letterkenny District Court, where Judge Emile Daly passed sentence on his offences.
Judge Daly urged Sweeney to “take the chance” she had afforded him with the sentencing meaning he will serve just three months behind bars.
Sweeney, who has 33 previous convictions, appeared via video link from Castlerea Prison and elected to have his matters dealt with by the District Court.
The charges against Sweeney were outlined by Garda Sergeant Jim Collins.
The court heard that Sweeney assaulted a man and caused him harm at Voodoo, Letterkenny at 2.31am on February 11, 2024.
Sergeant Collins said that the victim received “multiple punches to the face” and had their eye gouged. A victim impact statement was canvassed, but not forthcoming. The other man suffered swelling around his eyes and redness to the face, but did not attend for medical attention.
Sweeney was also charged with breaching a court order when sending 101 text messages and three voice notes to a woman on a date in 2024.
On February 1, 2019 at 2.12am at Milltown Court, Kilmacrennan, Sweeney was found to be in a highly-intoxicated state and unsteady on his feet. He became highly abusive to Gardai and to the ambulance staff before he eventually calmed down.
At 4.55am on May 30, 2021 at Lower Main Street, Letterkenny, Sweeney acted in an aggressive manner and was abusive to Gardai, who he told he would “knock you out”.
On August 26, 2021 at 1.55am, at Long Lane, Letterkenny, Sweeney was found intoxicated and started “shouting and roaring” at Gardai. With members of the public present, Sweeney shouted derogatory remarks to officers and when he was being arrested, Sweeney resisted, attempting to push them away.
At 8.55pm at Long Lane, Letterkenny, Sweeney was also abusive to Gardai and struggled during his arrest. In the custody area of Letterkenny Garda Station, he damaged a mop bucket, valued at €10. Sergeant Collins told the court that he did apologise prior to his release.
Sweeney damaged a door, causing €250 worth of damage, at 2.20pm on April 27, 2023 at Lower Main Street, Letterkenny.
The accused was charged with causing criminal damage of €349 to a wooden door, which he kicked, at Gort na Greine, Letterkenny at 8.19pm on June 7, 2023.
Sweeney was charged with stealing items worth €17.50 from Simpson’s Supermarket, Circular Road, Letterkenny on January 1, 2025 at 5.55pm.
On June 2, 2024, Sweeney entered a shop at Glencar, Letterkenny and took items of alcohol. He was stopped by staff and most of the items were recovered, but Sweeney took a swig from a bottle of Buckfast and the shop was down €8 while the other bottles were retrieved.
You may also be interested in
On the same day, a couple of hours later, he entered the same shop and took a bottle of beer worth €2.65, leaving the shop without paying. The incident was captured on CCTV.
On July 20, 2025, Sweeney stole a bottle of Buckfast worth €16 from Oldtown Stores, Letterkenny, and he took alcohol valued at €33.98 from Aldi, Ramelton Road, Letterkenny, on September 22, 2025.
On that occasion, he lifted a bottle, opened it and drank as he walked around the store before he
became aggressive to staff.
Sweeney was charged with public order offences at Ard na Ri, Letterkenny, on June 27, 2023 and on June 2, 2024, when he told Gardai to “fuck off” and shouted other expletives when being removed from a premises.
Gardai deployed pepper spray on Sweeney at Port Road, Letterkenny at 3.44pm on July 24, 2024. The accused man became aggressive to Gardai and took off his t-shirt, clenching his fists at officers before attempting to flee. As he was being arrested, Sweeney attempted to kick out at Gardai.
Sweeney’s solicitor, Mr Rory O’Brien asked the court to give his client “some light at the end of the tunnel”.
“He hasn’t attempted to minimise or contest the charges,” Mr O’Brien said. “He is accepting of the charges and has demonstrated his remorse. He is not in any way trying to shirk the consequences.”
Mr O’Brien said that Sweeney is a man who grew up with “profound disadvantages from the outset” and that his offending is inextricably linked to his addiction to alcohol and benzodiazepines.
“Substance misuse is a primary driver of his behaviour,” Mr O’Brien said, adding that Sweeney was a talented boxer in his youth.
“His world came crashing down around him,” Mr O’Brien said, telling the court that his client has been in custody for a considerable period.
He said Sweeney is fully prepared to engage with the Probation Service.
Mr O’Brien added: “He comes before you making no attempt to evade the responsibility. He has a genuine desire to turn his life around…I would ask the court to assist him and take account of the mitigating factors; there are many. Give him some light at the end of the tunnel.”
Addressing the court, Sweeney said he wanted to apologise and added: “I can’t blame anyone else for it”.
Judge Daly said that Sweeney would get credit for his guilty plea, but noted that the Probation Service has placed Sweeney at a high risk of reoffending, due to his addictions.
She said that alcohol and benzodiazepines were a “serious cocktail of intoxicants” and also noted that Sweeney committed some offences while on bail.
All of the sentences handed down by Judge Daly are to be served concurrent. On 10 charges contrary to section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994, Sweeney was sentenced to one month in prison.
Judge Daly sentenced Sweeney to two months in prison on each of the theft matters; to two months for the resisting arrest; to two months on the criminal damage charges; to three months for the breach of a court order.
For the assault causing harm, Sweeney was handed a five-month prison sentence, with the last two months suspended for 12 months on the basis that Sweeney commit no further offences, does not come to the attention of Gardai, that he engage in addiction support, attend mental health services on a continuing basis and that he engage with training employment services as well as pro social activities.
Judge Daly told Sweeney: “You are a 26-year-old man. You are a man in your mid-20s who can turn your life around if you take the chance that this court has given you.”