Cork man who told ex-partner: 'I will chop you up' sentenced to 120 hours community service

Defendant sent threatening voicemails and text messages to his former partner in the early hours of the morning, putting her in fear, court told

The accused pleaded guilty to breaching a Domestic Violence Act order, putting his ex-partner in fear. Picture Dan Linehan

A man who sent voicemails to his ex-partner including one threatening: “I will chop you up”, has been sentenced to 120 hours community service at Cork District Court.

Judge Catherine Ryan noted the case had been adjourned until May 6 for imposition of the community service instead of a prison term of three months.

The case was dealt with at an in camera hearing and the parties cannot be identified as it relates to a crime under the Domestic Violence Act.

The accused pleaded guilty to breaching a Domestic Violence Act order, putting his ex-partner in fear.

Garda Alan Cronin testified 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. It was not possible to confirm in court the total number of communications made in this two-hour period, Sergeant Aisling Murphy said.

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.” 

Defence solicitor Donal Daly said the communications were made when the defendant was intoxicated.

“He had been in a relationship with her. He discovered she was in a new relationship and that his feelings for her were not reciprocated.

“If granted bail, he said he will not contact her through any means. He did not give the guards any trouble. There was no aggression from him in any way towards the gardaí,” Mr Daly suggested. Garda Cronin agreed with that.

Mr Daly called the 36-year-old to give evidence in an initial application for bail and he accepted sending texts.

He said: “I did text her. I was trying to contact [their young child]. I was just trying to spend as much time with [child] as possible… I say things I don’t mean… I will only contact her through a solicitor… I am angry because she did not let me see the child.” 

Later he said: “I want to show my remorse and change things… I am struggling to understand why the texts caused her fear. I was reckless.”