Man jailed for role in aggravated burglary where victim was threatened with a sword

David Raleigh

A man who terrorised and threatened to kill another man with a sword during a violent aggravated burglary, has been jailed for 10 years with the final 18 months suspended.

The victim, Erol Ibrahim, from Moyross, Limerick, who it was heard in court is known to gardaí, was also beaten with an air gun and threatened he’d be shot during the burglary.

Darragh Manning (25), Clyde Hill News, St Alphonsus Street, Limerick, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to the aggravated burglary, in which he also assaulted Ibrahim, threatened to kill Ibrahim, and caused criminal damage to the apartment.

Judge Colin Daly said a 13-year jail term was an appropriate “headline sentence”, which he reduced to 10 years and suspended the final 18 months, having considered Manning’s guilty plea on a full facts basis, and that Manning may have been acting under duress from others.

Manning, who giggled and smirked in court, filmed the attack. The video footage was shared on social media at the time, the court heard.

The footage, which was played in court, showed Manning and another unidentified man, described in court as “Mr X”, threatening Ibrahim with a sword and airgun at an apartment in Limerick city where Ibrahim was staying on January 21st, 2025.

Mr X, wearing a mask, pointed the gun at Ibrahim who is cowering in a corner of a room, the footage showed.

The air gun was capable of firing 6mm calibre pellets, the court heard.

As Mr X threatened Ibrahim with the gun, Manning, who was also covering his face for a period, shouted “shoot the rat”, “shoot him, shoot him”.

Ibrahim believed the gun was real and capable of firing bullets, said prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan.

In the footage. Ibrahim was told he would be stabbed “to death” and that he should “pray like a little b*tch”.

Gardaí said the motive for the attack was still under investigation.

O’Sullivan said that on the evening in question, gardaí became aware that eight videos of the attack were being circulated online.

The footage showed Ibrahim being struck across the head and face with the airgun.

“He was pistol-whipped, and he was in fear”, O’Sullivan told the court.

At one point during the attack, Manning turned the camera he was using to film on himself, pulled away his own face covering, and he laughed excitedly.

Armed gardaí deployed to the apartment, but the men had gone. When they later spoke to Ibrahim, he told them he had been “trying to keep his head down at the time”.

Gardaí later arrested Manning, and during a search of his home they found the clothes and runners that he had worn during the attack, as well as a screwdriver which was also seen in the attack video.

O’Sullivan said Manning also ‘left behind” a mobile phone in Ibrahim’s apartment. Gardaí also matched a shoe print from a bedside locker at Ibrahim’s apartment to Manning’s runners.

The seized mobile phone contained a video showing Manning holding the airgun on his lap as he and Mr X rode in a taxi to Ibrahim’s apartment, the court heard.

Ibrahim told gardaí he had not known Manning or Mr X.

“One of them pointed a gun at me, I was sure I was dead, they were jumping on me, they were off their heads,” Ibrahim told gardaí.

“One of them shouted ‘shoot him’ and stabbed me in the leg, I was pistol whipped at least fifteen times,” Ibrahim also told gardaí.

Clothing, a large knife or sword, an imitation firearm and attached magazine and pellet were later recovered by gardai near the scene.

O’Sullivan said Ibrahim had “his own challenges with the criminal justice system” and there “appeared to be an organised criminality involvement” in the attack.

However, Manning’s barrister, senior counsel Lorcan Connolly, told the court: “The act of filming oneself isn’t indicative of this man (Manning) being involved in a criminal organisation.”

Connolly argued that Manning was vulnerable and something of an “idiot”, and a “fool”, for having got involved and for also showing his face in the video of the attack.

Manning had 89 previous convictions, including for burglary, criminal damage, theft, escape from custody, stealing cars, possession of drugs, and possession of knives.

Connolly said that, during Manning’s interviews with gardaí after his arrest, Manning “exercised his right to silence”, and that the only thing he told gardaí was: “I did stupid stuff, I was on tablets.”

Connolly argued that Manning “is not a sophisticated seasoned criminal”.

“He’s a drug user who is constantly caught in possession and preyed upon by others. He didn’t have a good childhood; he was on drugs at the time, it’s not an excuse but it does give context,” said Connolly.

“It is one of the most serious offences on the Statute, but he was preyed upon, he is an amateur, an idiot, and a fool perhaps,” added Connolly.

Ibrahim did not make any victim impact statement.