Harassed girl found a dead cat on her door

A dead cat was hung on the front door of an 18-year-old girl’s home by a man who texted and phoned her hundreds of times in a campaign of harassment.

Det Sgt Seán Leahy said Arturas Curbelevas, aged 25, of Wood Quay, Bailick Rd, Midleton, Co Cork, believed that he loved the girl, that she loved him, and that they should be in a relationship.

The teenager felt sorry for the Lithuanian because he was an only child and his parents were dead, leaving him with no family in Ireland or in Lithuania.

Det Sgt Leahy said the harassment went on from Nov 2012 to Jan 9, during which time Curbelavas phoned her 261 times and texted her 567 times.

She was initially willing to be his friend but was not interested at any time in a relationship. He reacted by telling her he would kill himself at a time when she was present. He threatened her that he would not let her live a happy life.

One text stated: “I love you, but you are a heartless piece of shit. Enjoy your life.”

Another text advised her to check out the lyrics of the Eminem rap, 25 to Life.

Threatening comments were made to her about her safety and the safety of her family. The final text stated: “There is a present for you at the door. You will understand.”

Det Sgt Leahy said: “She went out to find a dead cat hanging from the front door.”

At this stage she called the gardaí, an investigation was commenced and when Curbelevas was asked about the number of texts and calls he said he had probably made more calls and sent more texts than the numbers given.

Barrister Peter O’Flynn said the defendant had psychiatric difficulties.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said he was not prepared to take a care-in-the-community approach to the defendant at this stage.

He imposed a three-year sentence with half of it suspended.

The defendant said: “You are sending me back to jail. Send me to a mental hospital for one or two months.”

The judge recommended that he would get as much psychiatric care as was possible in prison.

During the sentencing, Curbelavas interrupted the judge to say: “I know what I did was bad, very bad. I changed myself. I was abusing drugs then. Now I am a changed man. I am not going to harm anyone. I need mental help. The prison is not doing good for me.”

The judge said he was extremely concerned about the hanging of a dead cat on the door. Det Sgt Leahy said the defendant was serving a sentence of one month for stealing another cat.