Dundon jailed for another 20 months

A Limerick man who was jailed for four and a half years earlier this month for threatening to kill a key witness in a high-profile murder trial was jailed today for a further 20 months.

John Dundon (22), Mayorstone Court, Limerick ,received the further prison sentence today after being convicted of threatening to burn down the home of a Limerick prison officer on August 21, 2001.

In October of last year, Mr Dundon pleaded guilty to the charge but sentencing was adjourned for 12 months conditional on good behaviour.

Earlier this month, however, the 22-year-old was jailed for four and half years after he was convicted of threatening to kill Owen Treacy - the state's key witness in the Kieran Keane murder trial, which took place in November 2003.

Mr Dundon made the threat to Mr Treacy's wife Donna while her husband was giving evidence in the high-profile trial.

Five men, including a brother of Mr Dundon, were jailed for life for the murder of Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of Owen Treacy.

The court heard yesterday that the threat to Mr Treacy's wife was made just six weeks after Judge Carroll Moran had adjourned sentencing on the charge relating to the threat against the prison officer.

Before imposing sentence yesterday, Judge Moran said he had to take this into account and the fact that he had been willing to give Mr Dundon a chance when he adjourned sentencing in October 2003.

However Judge Moran said it was "really awful" that this threat against Mr Treacy had been made just six weeks later.

The judge said he had a duty to protect prison officers and members of the Garda from violence and imposed a 20-month jail sentence, which is to run consecutively to the four-and-a-half year sentence imposed earlier this month.