'I won't kill, I will torture a lot': Man who sent death threats to his ex-partner is jailed 

A Brazilian national living in Cork launched a campaign of harassment against an ex-partner, bombarding her with emails which included many death threats and one where he said, “If I get any of you I won’t kill, I will torture a lot.” 

38-year-old Rodrigo Azevedo, formerly of The Abbey, Henry Street, Cork, pleaded guilty to harassment of his partner and also harassing another woman who was his manager at work.

Yesterday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, he was jailed by Judge Helen Boyle and it was made a condition of the suspension of part of the sentence that he would stay away from both women for the next 15 years and have no contact of any kind with them.

The sentence imposed on him was two years and three months, with the final six months suspended. 

Another condition of the suspension of that last period was that he would continue to engage with medical treatment.

Harassment 

Detective Garda Gary Purtill investigated the two harassment complaints which actually started in his workplace and were directed at his manager.

Colleagues became concerned about his mental health when the content of email communications from Rodrigo Azevedo became more unsavoury.

The emails began to be directed at his manager but at such a volume that a quarantine box was set up so that the emails could be diverted and the recipient spared insofar as possible. 

The emails included various death threats, including one stating, “I will kill and give some meaning to my life.” Another said, “I will kill you, that is what comforts every day.” One email simply said, “Idiots”. Another said, “Hey. F*** you.” 390 emails and texts in this vein were sent between November 2022 and March 2023.

From March 2023 he sent death threats to his ex-partner. In one he said, “It is my dream to kill.” 

Another referred to Brazil and said of his Cork-based ex-partner, “If she ever comes over here she is dead.” In another email he said, “If I get any of you I won’t kill, I will torture a lot.”

Defence senior counsel Alice Fawsitt said the accused had no previous convictions, apart from one public order offence at Luton airport. 

Ms Fawsitt said Mr Azevedo was keen to return to Spain. 

The defence lawyer said that all of the harassment was by electronic means. 

She added, “He is not doing well in prison.” 

'Multiple threats to kill'

Judge Helen Boyle noted that there were two separate injured parties, both of whom received multiple and frequent emails causing stress and embarrassment at work. 

She said the content was very serious, and it included multiple threats to kill recipients and others.

The judge said the defendant’s ex-partner had threats to kill and torture made against her and she suffered ongoing psychological and effectively physical results.

“This was a sustained campaign of harassment conducted via electronic means. I note it is not easy for her. Make no mistake, the impact is very serious on her and other injured parties.

“You have pleaded guilty and saved victims the trauma of giving evidence.

“While you have made efforts to address whatever is driving you to do this it is not enough. Four counselling sessions is not enough. It is doing untold damage to people around you. You have a very long way to go,” Judge Boyle said.

The sentence was backdated to November 13 2023 when he went into custody. 

The judge recommended that he be given prescribed medication and attend a prison psychiatrist.