BY RONAN JUDGE

A man who was “out of control” and in possession of a wine-bottle opener in the reception area of the Accident and Emergency unit of University Hospital Galway (UHG) has received a four-month prison sentence.

Billy Mashonganyika (46), of no fixed abode, Galway, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a screw top wine-bottle opener at UHG on April 14, 2025, contrary to section 9 (1) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.

After hearing evidence and viewing CCTV of the incident, Judge Lydon said the Court was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt to convict the accused.

Imposing a four-month sentence, backdated to June 10, Judge Lydon said, “it was clear the accused was out of control and it must have been particularly frightening for people who were there on the day”.

Donna Bohan told the Court she working the night shift in the reception area of A&E on April 14, when the accused came in, in a distressed state, saying his partner was being “raped and murdered” in a tent nearby.

The Court heard that Ms Bohan saw the accused had a wine-bottle opener on his person and he got in a row with another man sitting in reception.

Ms Bohan said security staff were present and she rang 999 because she was “fearful he might harm someone”.

Ms Bohan said Mashonganyika was well-known to staff in the hospital and his behaviour on the night was “unusual”, and she had never seen him like that before.

Garda Noel Mannion told the Court he attended the scene after receiving a report of an intoxicated male who had been disarmed of the wine opener by security staff.

In his evidence to the court, Mashonganyika said he and his partner were attacked in a tent on the night and his phone was forcibly taken from him.

He said he took the wine opener from his partner “because she was swearing she was going to get the person and do damage to him”.

He said he went to the hospital to use the phone and was “worked up” on the journey.

Mashonganyika told the Court that while in A&E, a man said something “very humiliating” to him in his “mother tongue”.

Under cross-examination, Mashonganyika admitted possession of the bottle opener and disagreed that Gardaí did not receive any report about the alleged incident at the tent.

Mashonganyika has 54 previous convictions, including 29 for Public Order offences.

He also pleaded guilty in Court to three other Public Order Intoxication offences committed on dates on 2025, including one arising from an incident at UHG on January 13, 2025.

Defence barrister, Michael Crowe BL, told the court all the offences related to intoxication and his client did not dispute the facts of bottle opener offence.

“He never set out to harm anyone, Judge,” Counsel added.

Judge Lydon imposed a €400 fine for the January public order offence at UHG, saying: “That’s in circumstances where he seems to have plenty of money for alcohol.”.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.

Pictured: The Emergency Department at UHG where the incident took place.