Garda’s wife tells of horror of getting pig’s head in post

The wife of a serving Garda told a court yesterday that she was “afraid, disgusted, and horrified” when a box containing a severed pig’s head was delivered to her home.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Natalie O’Neill said she was “completely in shock” after her husband Garda Paul Heaslip opened the box and peeled back tin foil to reveal the pig’s head.

The couple made the discovery at lunchtime on Tuesday, January 31, 2012, at their home at the Percy French Estate in Kilkee.

The box was posted from Prussia Street Post Office in Dublin five days before, on January 26, and Ms O’Neill said she noticed “a very pungent odour from the box”.

Asked about her reaction on seeing the pig’s head, Ms O’Neill said: “I was shocked, horrified, disgusted — probably 17 different emotions all at once. I was afraid. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t know what was going on.”

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Brendan Mahoney, aged 48, of 74 Cabra Park, Dublin 7, denies sending the pig’s head to Garda Heaslip.

In his evidence, Garda Heaslip said his landlord, David McNamara — who was also his postman — had informed him on January 30 that there was a box waiting for him at his home.

Garda Heaslip and Ms O’Neill were away at the time and returned to their home the following day.

The garda said the pig’s head “was split down the middle” and was contained in the cardboard square box addressed to him. He said: “There was a strong enough smell off the pig’s head and I said to Natalie ‘open the door’ and I brought the box outside to an open area out through a side door at our home.”

Garda Heaslip said he was “in complete shock” after discovering the pig’s head.

He said: “It was just distressing. I was in total confusion over it being sent and more in shock than anything. The fact that it was sent to my house — it gave me a disgusted feeling in my stomach. It was addressed to my home, my house — and my wife being there at the time as well.”

Garda Heaslip informed local gardaí of the pig’s head posted to him in the box and colleagues, Sgt Ronan O’Hara, Det Garda Ollie Downes, and divisional scenes of crime specialist, Garda Niall Kampff arrived.

Garda Kampff took colour photos of the pig’s head which were circulated to members of the jury in court yesterday.

Supt Gerry Wall, stationed in the Kilrush district at the time, told the court he took a “most serious view” of one of his gardaí receiving a pig’s head.

Supt Wall said he asked a Garda colleague in Dublin to go to Prussia Street Post Office and download the CCTV footage “as a matter or urgency”.

The trial continued yesterday in legal argument in the absence of the jury and is to continue today before the jury of seven men and five women.

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