'I will chop you up': Man who sent threatening voicemails to former partner remanded in custody

Defendant told woman: 'No matter how long I spend in prison I will come for you', court heard

Accused pleaded guilty to beaching a domestic order and putting his former partner in fear. Picture: Larry Cummins

A woman was terrified when her ex-partner left a voicemail in the early hours threatening to chop her up and warning he would come after her no matter how long he spent in prison.

The man appeared at an in camera sitting of Cork District Court for domestic violence cases, by video link from prison, and he pleaded guilty to breaching a domestic order and putting her in fear.

“He is very sorry for sending the messages. They broke up around Christmas. The circumstances of the break-up are not relevant but he was quite upset. He did not mean what he said. He knows they were serious words,” solicitor Shane Collins-Daly said.

The accused, who has been remanded in custody for the past month, spoke up after the solicitor had addressed the court: “She was not talking to me. She was ignoring me. I say things without thinking. I was drinking as well. I was stupid.” 

Garda Alan Cronin gave evidence in the bail objection, testifying calls started coming through to the complainant’s phone between 1am and 3am on Saturday night into Sunday morning, March 22. Some of the communications were texts, but mainly they were by voicemail.

Garda Cronin outlined the content of some of the threatening communications:

“I will chop you up." 

"No matter how long I spend in prison I will come for you.” 

“I will get you back.” 

“You know what I am going to do when I get out.” 

Judge Mary Dorgan remanded him in custody until April 30 for a pre-sentencing probation report.