Tenant threatened to kill landlord

A 31-year-old heroin addict who threatened to kill his landlord and burn down his apartment building with the tenants in it after being asked to leave has been sentenced to five years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Joseph Meade held a knife to his landlord’s throat for three minutes, threatened to slice him into little pieces and demanded €4,000 to leave the flat or he would "torch the place with the residents in it".

Meade, of Cromwell Lodge, Mount Brown, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill John Sweeney and the residents of a building on Donore Avenue, assaulting Mr Sweeney causing him harm and criminal damage at the apartment building on April 6, 2006.

Judge Katherine Delahunt suspended the final two years of the five year jail term and said Meade had made a "sustained series of very vicious threats".

Garda Richard Pender told Sinead McGrath BL, prosecuting, that Mr Sweeney arrived at Kevin Street Garda Station in a distressed state after he was threatened by Meade.

Mr Sweeney had served a notice to quit the flat on Meade following complaints from other tenants about Meade’s anti social behaviour and incidents in which gardai had been called to the building.

Mr Sweeney had gone to Meade’s flat, knocked on the door and then entered it using a key. Gda Pender said Meade "erupted", ran towards Mr Sweeney with a knife, pinned him to a wall for three minutes and held the knife to his throat.

Meade demanded €4,000 to leave the flat or he would burn the place down. Mr Sweeney told gardai he believed Meade was going to kill him and was told "I’ll cut you up into little pieces, I’ll slice you up, you and any gardai who come near this flat".

Mr Sweeney was held at knife point for three minutes before he was able to run for the door but Meade blocked his way and head butted him. Mr Sweeney fell to the ground and suffered cuts to his nose and forehead.

Garda Pender said Meade also slashed a tyre on Mr Sweeney’s van as he left the scene.

Meade has 17 previous convictions for crimes including theft, burglary, assault and public order offences.

Luigi Rea BL, defending, said his client was a qualified chef who had been abusing drugs since the age of 18.

Mr Rea said the landlord had trespassed into the apartment and "came in on top" of Meade who reacted in a "volatile" and "very inappropriate" fashion.