'I will chop you up': Voicemails threatening young woman read out in court

“I will chop you up” – that was one of the voicemails received in the early hours of the morning by a young woman from her ex-partner.

The young man was brought before Cork District Court where there was an objection to bail on a charge of breaching a Domestic Violence Act order, putting his ex-partner in fear.

Garda Alan Cronin gave evidence in the bail objection, testifying that 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, putting it to him first that he accepted sending texts.

He replied, “I did text her. I was trying to contact (their young child). I was just trying to spend as much time with (the child) as possible.

“Even the next morning when the shades came…” 

Judge Mary Dorgan interrupted the defendant in this reference to the gardaí, saying, “Ah now, show a bit of respect.” 

The defendant replied: “Sorry, when the guards came.” 

He continued his evidence: “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.” 

Judge Dorgan said, “I have to be very careful... using or threatening to use violence, putting an injured party in fear.” 

The judge remanded him in custody until March 30.