Man jailed for threatening to kill garda

A Shankill man has been jailed for two years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for threatening to kill a garda after being given a six months sentence for assaulting him.

Stephen Crosbie's family has a history of psychiatric problems and he threatened "to shoot" or "to chop up" Garda John Cashman and said if he went to prison he would pay some else to do it.

Crosbie (25), of Clifden Park, Shankill, pleaded guilty to threatening Garda Enda Coughlin at Dun Laoghaire garda station that he would kill or cause serious harm to Gda Cashman on March 29, 2007.

Judge Martin Nolan said he had to take into account Crosbie's 50 previous convictions some of which were for violent offences and said "a threat from such a person has to be taken seriously."

Judge Nolan imposed a sentence of two years imprisonment backdating it to reflect time spent in custody. He ordered that probation services "take an interest in" Crosbie for a year after his release.

Detective Garda Sean Allen told prosecuting counsel, Mr Bernard Condon BL, that Crosbie asked Gda Cashman at Dun Laoghaire Garda station and became aggressive when told he was unavailable.

Crosbie said he would shoot Gda Cashman and find out where he lived.

Det Gda Allen said Crosbie had previously been jailed for six months for an assault on garda Cashman and there had been an interaction between them earlier that day.

Crosbie told gardaí on his arrest that he had been told to "f*** off" by the garda at the front desk and complained of harassment.

He again threatened Gda Cashman saying "I will chop him to bits" and said if he was sent to prison he would pay some one else to do it.

Det Gda Allen agreed with defence counsel, Ms Maire Torrens BL, that Crosbie had made "graphic admissions" and that there was a history of psychiatric problems in his family.

Mr David Crosbie told Ms Torrens that his son had began using drugs following the death of his brother from brain cancer and his mother's death the following year.

He said he had "kicked" his son out of the family home several times when he got into trouble but had found him begging on the streets and taken him back.

Mr Crosbie said his son regularly said things he did not mean and "does more harm to himself then anybody else."

Ms Torrens submitted that a psychiatric report indicated Crosbie's underlying feelings of hostility were abating and asked that any sentence include a period of post release probation supervision in the community.