Psychiatric assessment sought in case where Cork man made deadly threats against woman

A forensic psychiatric assessment was directed yesterday by a sentencing judge in the case against a 21-year-old man who threatened to kill a young woman, where he texted another person saying that she was going to be tied, chopped, and murdered.

Judge Sinéad Behan said there was a very helpful psychological report on Ruairí Lally at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, where it was suggested that the full forensic psychiatric assessment would be carried out.

Judge Behan directed that this would take place. A probation report was also directed.

Defence senior counsel Jane Hyland said that the accused, who has been on remand in custody since October 2025, was keen to get out of prison, but was also keen to continue with a programme dealing with his behaviour and anger management.

“This course is helping him to manage his emotions when he feels that others are provoking him,” Ms Hyland said.

Judge Behan said that supported housing in the community should also be put in place, even if it was through charitable services.

She remanded him in custody until June 25 for the psychiatric report and for arrangements to be put in place that would come into effect at the time of the defendant’s eventual release from prison.

It was previously outlined in court that the messages sent by the accused included: “I’m going to hurt her badly ... Chop her open and stab her to death ... Going to hurt you seriously. Tie you up and kick you to death ... Getting you chopped up and murdered and enjoy every second of it.”

He pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to the young woman on September 27, 2025, contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

Concert

Detective Sergeant Pat Lyons told the court the defendant had met the young woman through mutual friends, and had gone to a concert with him in April 2023, but she became concerned about his behaviour on the night, telling him that she no longer wanted to see him or have any contact with him.

Mr Lally, of Wainsfort, Rochestown Rd, Cork, continued to text her despite her insisting that she did not want to hear from him and, in December 2023, she went to gardaí and made a complaint about him harassing her.

This led to him being charged and convicted of harassing her.

Lally was sentenced by Judge Behan on July 22, 2024, to two years in jail with one year suspended, with one of the conditions of the suspension being that he be of good behaviour and have no contact, directly or indirectly, with the young woman upon his release from prison.

However, he resumed texting the young woman upon his release from prison and, on September 4, 2025, gardaí obtained a civil restraining order at Cork District Court, restraining him from having any contact with the woman until September 2028.

The restraining order had been obtained less than a week before Lally was released from a three-month term of the 12-month part of the sentence that had been suspended.

Upon his release, Lally engaged with the Probation Service.

Text messages

Det Sgt Lyons told the court that Lally’s probation officer became concerned when he sent her four text messages at 2pm on September 27, 2025, about the young woman, including ones where he said: “I’m going to hurt her badly ... Chop her open and stab her to death.”

He later sent the probation officer a screenshot of a message that he had typed up but not sent to the young woman, in which he said: “We’re going to hurt you seriously, tie you up, and kick you to death, getting you chopped and murdered, and enjoy every second of it.”

The probation officer immediately made contact with gardaí.

Three days later, on September 30, Lally presented at Togher Garda Station, and he was arrested and admitted sending the messages to the probation officer.

“He is obsessed with her, and she is terrified of him,” Det Sgt Lyons said.

He said that Lally has two previous convictions — one for the original harassment of the young woman, and one for possession of a knife when he turned up at Cork District Court during one of the remand hearings on the harassment charge when gardaí found him with the weapon.