Man charged with breaching barring order with threatening emails to mother

Horrific emails were allegedly sent by a man to his own mother, including one in which he referred to her plans to sell her house and in which he asked how the sale would be affected by someone being killed there.

Garda Seán Lee arrested Robert Curran last Saturday and brought him before Cork District Court yesterday on two charges of breaching a barring order by putting his mother, Sheila Curran, in fear.

The first charge related to October 2014, when it was alleged he breached a barring order by sending his mother three texts that put her in fear.

The second charge related to emails allegedly sent by Mr Curran on January 2 and not opened until January 10 which were not opened in court but were described by Garda Lee yesterday as ‘horrific’.

Mr Curran said yesterday: “I never ever raised a hand to my mother. I accept that [threats were made] but that is what they are –— threats.”

Gardaí objected to bail being granted to Mr Curran, who is aged around 40, on the two counts of breaching the barring order.

Ms Curran said: “I am afraid he is going to come to my house and kill me. He told me he would. I am totally terrified. He is telling me he is going to kill me.

“I was going to put my house up for sale. He said: ‘What is your house going to be worth if someone is killed in it?’ ”

Judge Olann Kelleher noted the garda objection to bail but said he could not keep Mr Curran in custody until the case against him was heard in court. Instead, he remanded him bail with strict conditions.

They included orders to stay away from his mother’s house at Knockanemore, Ovens, Co Cork, and to reside at Begley’s Farm, Ovens. He was also required to make no contact, direct or indirect, with his mother.

The case was adjourned for a fortnight.