Man faces sentence for threatening off-licence owner and security guard in Cork

Ronen Tollman faced sentencing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on the charge of threatening to kill Gary O’Donovan at O’Donovan’s off-licence in Cork. File picture: iStock

A man who was arrested for making a death threat against the owner of an off licence told the garda: “I will get a petrol-bomb and light that place up.” 

Ronen Tollman, 32, of no fixed address faced sentencing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on the charge of threatening to kill Gary O’Donovan at O’Donovan’s off-licence on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork, on Tuesday, May 5.

Tollman also pleaded guilty to a charge of harassing Declan Walsh on various dates between April 21 and 30 in Cork city.

Garda David O’Brien said Mr O’Donovan had just opened his premises that morning when Tollman threatened to kill him and burn him out of it for making a complaint against him for shoplifting.

Declan Walsh, a security man employed at Cork’s English Market, was harassed by Tollman who followed him one day shouting threats, so much so that Mr Walsh activated a body-cam.

Garda O’Brien said Tollman responded by saying: “You can turn on your body-cam but it won’t stop you getting this bottle on the back of the head.” Defence barrister, Brian Leahy, said that the accused had been in contact with some psychiatric services and was now progressing well and stabilizing.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin agreed to adjourn sentencing until February 19, 2021, and prohibited him from having any contact with Mr O’Donovan or Mr Walsh.