Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 2037Endangering the lives of gardaí, criminal damage · Co. Sligo · 1 May 2024

Man remanded for sentencing after axe rampage in Sligo injures four gardaí

Damien O'Sullivan, 32, pleaded guilty to endangering the lives of four gardaí and causing €25,000 in damage after a seven-hour axe rampage in Sligo on 1 May 2024. Judge Keenan Johnson at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court remanded him in custody to 15 July 2025 for sentencing and ordered his psychiatric care to be fast-tracked.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted21 Mar
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
11 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatO'Sullivan went on a seven-hour rampage on 1 May 2024 in Sligo (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe attacked four gardaí in a patrol van with an axe and smashed windows (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe damaged two Garda vans and a patrol car (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe barricaded himself in his home and threw tiles off the roof at gardaí (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe gardaí pepper-sprayed O'Sullivan several times (irishtimes.com)
  • whatO'Sullivan smashed the patrol van window with one violent swing of the axe (irishtimes.com)
  • whenGarda Sharkey and Garda McNulty were first on scene after a 999 call at 1am (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to endangering and threatening to kill Garda Sharkey, Garda Irwin and Sgt McMahon while inside a patrol van by using an axe to smash its windows (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to causing €20,000 worth of damage to the Garda vehicles (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was heard at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe Garda Armed Support Unit was told it was 40 minutes away (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Mar2025
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    Gardaí feared they would be beheaded as man went on axe rampage in Sligo

    Details the court testimony from Garda Mark Irwin describing the axe attack on the patrol van, the full range of guilty pleas, the damage costs, and the remand for sentencing with fast-tracked psychiatric care.

    convicted, 32, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Mark Irwin, irish (judged from name)Mark Irwinvictim, Clodagh Sharkey, irish (judged from name)Clodagh Sharkeyvictim, Conor McNulty, irish (judged from name)Conor McNultyvictim, Terence McMahon, irish (judged from name)Terence McMahonvictim, irish (judged from name)