Man convicted of making threats to kill

A man has been convicted of making threats to kill and production of a knife during a row at a house.

Patrick Quinn, aged 59, of Bunree Road, Ballina, contested the case before Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.

A jury convicted him of making threats to kill against Roisin O’Brien and production of an article at Upper Main Street, Foxford on June 5, 2021. He was acquitted of making threats to kill against Toby Brindle on the same date.

Roisin O’Brien told the court that on the day of the incident, she received a phone call from her sister Ellen. Her sister was upset and distressed having called to her mother Rachel’s home at Upper Main Street, Foxford and encountered the accused. She said Quinn and her mother had been in a long-term relationship.

Roisin said she told her sister to stay in her car and wait for her. Roisin and her husband Darragh O’Mahoney drove to the house. They believed Quinn had left the home when all three entered but found him in the dining room.

Roisin said the accused stood up clenching his fists and a shouting match ensued. She said she was concerned for her mother whom she had not seen in the house at this point. She told the court her mother has alcohol and mental health issues. Roisin alleged that Quinn told her that her mother was gone and they would never see her again.

Roisin said Quinn stepped forward and she thought he was going to hit her. She later recalled him getting a kitchen knife and threatening to “kill” and “slice them up". Roisin said Darragh then got between them and struck Quinn in the knee with a poker. They then stepped back and left the house with Darragh holding the door closed behind the accused.

She said the Gardaí were called and Quinn continued to shout at them though the window. She said he scored the knife against window and told her he knew where she lived.

“I genuinely believed he knew where I lived and was going to kill me,” said Roisin.

She said he mother then came to the door but was “quite drunk”.

Her sister Ellen’s partner threw a yard brush at Quinn though the door as he feared for Ellen’s safety. They attempted to get her mother to leave the house but her mother did not and when they felt she was safe they left.

CCTV of a mobile phone recording of the incident at the window was played in court. Quinn can be seen carrying a knife and his nose appears to be bloodied.

Barrister Diarmuid Connolly put it to Roisin O'Brien that his client and her mother were just friends and neighbours. This was denied by the witness.

He contended that Roisin did not like Quinn drinking with her mother and bringing her alcohol and the case against his client was pursued in this context.

Ellen O’Brien told the court that when she went to the house to collect carpet cleaner, Quinn was screaming abuse at her while her mother was crying on the stairs.

She alleged that Quinn was waving a knife around when she returned to the property with her sister and her husband. She said Darragh struck Quinn with a poker to “stop him charging at us". She called the Gardaí and her boyfriend Toby Brindle when she went outside.

Witness Darragh O’Mahoney, partner of Roisin, said he was asleep following a night shift when he got a call from Roisin regarding Patrick Quinn’s presence at her mother Rachel’s house.

When he arrived at Upper Main Street, Foxford, Mr O’Mahoney entered the house with Ellen and Roisin and they were met by Quinn sitting in the house. He described Quinn as “violent, aggressive” and “intoxicated” and said he came towards them with his fists out.

He said Quinn started shouting at them, “I’ve cut her up, she’s dead upstairs, I’ve cut her up into little pieces” before advancing on them with a knife.

Mr O’Mahoney grabbed a poker and struck Quinn on the leg. The defendant continued to make threats and Mr O'Mahoney exited the house with the two sisters.

In response to Mr Connolly, he said he hit Quinn hard enough to give them a chance to get away from him and was not aware that the blow had caused Quinn to bleed.

Mr O’Mahoney said that Quinn then began tapping on the window with the knife, continuing to make threats saying, “I know where ye work, I know where ye live.”

He said Toby Brindle arrived at the house and shortly after, Rachel exited the house and Ellen approached her. Quinn then held the knife over Ellen and Mr Brindle hit him with a yard brush and he stumbled backwards. Quinn then returned to the house where he continued tapping on the glass with the knife and making threats.

In response to the defence barrister, Mr O’Mahoney denied they had gone over to the house to “sort out” Quinn.

Toby Brindle, partner of Ellen, told the court he arrived at the house having been contacted by Ellen. Shortly after his arrival, Rachel came into view through a window. Rachel unlocked the door and came outside and Ellen approached her.

Quinn then held the knife over Ellen and Mr Brindle said he then hit Quinn in the face with a yard brush “to protect the girls”. The defendant then went back inside and tapped on the glass with the knife, talking about how he was “going to kill her” and “chop her up". 

Mr Connolly told the court that his client alleges that he was assaulted with a baseball bat and set upon by the group. This was denied by the witnesses.

Sgt Shane O’Connor was among a number of Gardaí called to the scene. When he went to the rear of the property he could see the accused brandishing a knife at a glass door. He shouted at Quinn to drop the knife and he threw it over his right shoulder. The knife was retrieved when Gardaí entered the house and Quinn was arrested.

Gda PJ Conroy said Quinn was visibly bleeding from his right leg and there was a cut around his mouth.

After over two hours of deliberation, the jury recorded a guilty verdict on the production of an article offence and the threats made against Roisin O’Brien. Quinn was acquitted of making threats to Mr Brindle.

Mr Connolly sought probation and medical reports for his client. 

Judge Eoin Garavan remanded Quinn on continuing bail until July 20 for sentencing.

• Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.