Avoids extended jail time for ‘verbal spat’ outside courthouse

A father of three who was sentenced less than two months ago to two and a half years in connection to a violent feud related attack in Mullingar has escaped further jail time for his role in a separate “verbal spat” outside a local court last year.

Bradley McEntee (25), 39 Grange Crescent, Mullingar, Westmeath, was present at Mullingar District Court last Thursday to answer a summons concerning the use of threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour at Mullingar District Court, Westmeath on March 4, 2025.

Garda Mervyn Henson gave evidence of observing Mr McEntee becoming embroiled in what he termed as a “verbal spat” with members from an opposing faction on the day of the incident, resulting in public order proceedings being issued against him.

Mr McEntee’s appearance in court came less than two months on from a two and a half year sentence being handed down for his part in a vicious brawl on Austin Friars Street on the afternoon of August 2, 2024.

That sentencing hearing before Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court heard there had been a feud between the Nevin and Dinnegan families at the time.

Mr McEntee was on a suspended sentence for a serious drugs charge at the time and had been associated with the Nevins. He was part of a group of eight or nine men who arrived in two cars at Austin Friars Street at about 5pm, where Anthony Dinnegan Jr was attacked close to his home.

Judge Kenneth Connolly described the incident as being one of “intolerable violence”.

The court heard how Mr Dinnegan Jnr, his wife and child fled from their home after threats were made to burn their apartment. CCTV footage showed his wife running to a nearby business with the child, before Mr Dinnegan was chased by a group of men.

One of those men, Mr McEntee, could be seen on CCTV footage holding rocks.

McEntee arrived with the group but did not inflict any injuries and said he dropped the rocks and stones he had brought.

He also expressed remorse, and the court heard he had engaged positively with the Probation Service, had not come to further garda attention and had completed a welding course.

At last week’s sentencing hearing before Judge Owens, defence solicitor Louis Kiernan said Mr McEntee would be back before the upcoming sitting of Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court as it rules on the suspended sentence he had been under at the time under what’s knows as a “section 99 re-entry”.

Mr Kiernan said despite that, there was a largely “positive” probation report available to the court to consider, and spoke of how Mr McEntee had done a lot to “change himself” following the violent disorder incident of almost 18 months earlier.

Judge Owens said though Mr McEntee’s actions on the day had been unjustified, she did accept that in a court environment “things can get heated”. As such, she issued section 1 (2) of the Probation Act.