Couple tell court how dream Mayo home became a nightmare due to neighbour's intimidation

A man who threatened to kill his neighbours during an eight-month campaign of intimidation and harassment has received a suspended prison sentence.

Justin Cawley, aged 32, of Tom Clarke Place, Ballina, and formerly of Tavanaghmore, Foxford, previously appeared before Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded guilty to harassing his then neighbours.

Cawley terrorised Ray and Margaret Moore between October 2019 and June 2020. The Moores were separated from Cawley's property by a narrow strip of land and a dispute between the neighbours first arose when Cawley used a digger from his site to dump soil onto Moores' property.

Ray Moore went to Gardaí following an incident on October 19, 2019, when Cawley threatened to kill him "stone dead". Mr Moore had a recording on his phone of the exchange.

The Moores run a garden nursery from their home on the banks of Lough Conn. The couple provided victim impact statements to the court in which they outlined the extent of the harassment and intimidation.

Mr Moore, aged 74, said the harassment began "almost immediately" when Cawley arrived in the area. Cawley’s behaviour upset customers and they were forced to install security cameras and fencing.

“I often felt unable to withstand the bullying,” said Mr Moore.

The victim said he was extremely frightened and suffered nightmares after Cawley made threats to kill and "bring an army from Ballina". Mr Moore said even though her family were not religious, Cawley would play loud sectarian music. Mrs Moore said she feared leaving her husband alone when she went to visit family in Northern Ireland.

On another occasion, Cawley subjected Mrs Moore and her teenage niece to a tirade of abuse. The 60-year-old woman said she felt physically sick due to the anxiety caused to her and her family.

Mrs Moore said she was distressed when Cawley played a request for her on Midwest Radio which he said was dedicated to his "good neigbour". Mrs Moore said excrement was smeared on her front gate and toilet paper strewn on the gate but Cawley denied that he was responsible for these acts.

She said she had dashcams installed in her car following a "road rage" incident and feared her dogs would be poisoned.

“Our home on the shore of Lough Conn, once our dream, became a nightmare," Mrs Moore remarked.

The case was adjourned for sentencing until last week with Cawley ordered to come up with compensation for the victims.

A sum of €5,000 was provided.

Cawley has left the area and has sold the site. The court heard he has undergone anger management counselling and is seeking to establish himself as a plumber.

He apologised for the "horrific ordeal" he put the Moores through. The accused claimed he had an addiction to prescription medication at the time of the offences and was "out of control" and behaving like a "monster".

However, Judge Eoin Garavan dismissed this reasoning as "utter nonsense" and "opportunistic" and pointed to a lack of supporting evidence for his addiction.

“Mr Cawley is nothing but a thug and a bully of the most cowardly type,” the judge remarked.

However, he noted Cawley’s plea of guilty and the fact that he has recently served two months in prison for another offence.

The judge handed down a two-year prison term, suspended for four years. Cawley was also ordered to have no communication with the Moores and not to come within 500 metres of their home for a period of 10 years.