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A MAN HAS been jailed for sending “grossly threatening” text messages to his ex-girlfriend after she started seeing another man.
Dean Brennan (28) made threats to shoot Louise Hanna, blow her head off, burn her house down and kill her and her new partner Richard Doyle.
Brennan of Casement Park, Finglas, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to Ms Hanna at McKee Park, Finglas on 18 December 2014. He also admitted harassing the same woman at her home on 26 December 2014.
Judge Pauline Codd imposed a four-year prison sentence but suspended the last two years on condition Brennan remains drug and alcohol free during that time and continues to receive counselling with the Probation Services.
Judge Codd also ordered that Brennan does not communicate by any means with the victims or their families and does not approach within half a mile of their homes or work place for a period of seven years.
The court heard that Brennan had only recently been released from prison when he sent the threatening texts to Ms Hanna.
The couple had being in a relationship for four years that had ended and Brennan reacted to this in an “unacceptable” way, Grainne O’Neill BL, defending, said.
He sent her 13 texts in one day. In these texts he said:
I’ll die before I see you two together.
I will not hesitate to put you in the ground.
I’m going to fucking murder you.
He also called the couple “sad junkies” and texted later:
I want five grand by the end of the week otherwise I’m going to blow your head off your shoulders.
He also said he would burn her house down if he found Mr Doyle there.
On the second date he sent 11 texts to the victims and told Ms Hanna he was on his way over.
She contacted gardaí who came to her house. Brennan’s text also included: “Swear on me kid’s life, you are dead, you’ll be lucky if I don’t get youse tonight…gonna cut you to pieces”.
The victim said her life had changed since the threats because she was now afraid to go out and do normal things.
She said:
He won’t let me live a happy life. He said if he can’t have me no-one else will. I’m afraid that when he does get released he will continue to hurt me.
Ms O’Neill told the court that her client had not accepted the relationship was well and truly over and that his reaction was completely unacceptable. She said he was embarrassed and sorry and was happy to obey the barring order.
She said he was highly intoxicated at the time and has a drink and drugs problem. While in custody on these charges he has engaged in anger and compassion counselling programmes.
Previous convictions
Counsel said he has completed a course in non-violence and a drugs recovery programme. Brennan’s 14 previous convictions include one for robbery and nine for public order offences.
Judge Codd said the texts were grossly threatening and very frightening for the victim to receive.
Terrifying someone into not leaving their house is a serious crime, and I think the sentence is reasonable, which is a change from what we have seen recently from the courts.
The difference is that this guy was previously in prison.
He sounds like he has deep psychological issues, focused on the girlfriend, I just don’t get the point of jailing somebody who isn’t likely to be an habitual offender
€5k by the end of the week.
That’s extortion.
Stephen, a habit isn’t the issue, the risk of continuing or following through is.
“14 previous convictions include one for robbery and nine for public order offences.”
Oops sorry, I probably should have read to the end of the article before glibly commenting, I guess he’s a bad ‘un
And threats that can be carried out if the time is right or wrong if you like?, a night on the substance and the beer all hell can break loose, this guy is a serious threat, Stephen what planet are you on seriously?
Though putting him in prison still won’t solve any of his many issues but but I guess you could say that about most prisoners, really
Four years with two off if he stays off drink and drugs. If he didn’t abuse substances in the first place would he have to do the full four. It’s all very confusing.
It protects others. The purpose of law is to protect
What’s the alternative? Do nothing?
I worked in a place that did that bull to me once… I went to the Gardaí about it and they could be bothered, last time I went to a Garda over it he told me to go to another Gardaí station about it…
Ridiculous carry on but then 4 years does seem excessive when a confessed rapist walked free during the week?
Ah don’t worry, he’ll get out early for some stupid reason I bet.
He probably should get out early. 4 years is a heavy sentence when put in context with other far more heinous crimes
I dunno. I think intending to murder someone is fairly up there.
Big difference between threats and harassment, and conspiracy to murder.
It’s technically terrorism if it causes someone to fear for their life.
Jihad now is it? Come on let’s not get too silly. I’m not saying he shouldn’t serve some time, but our justice system doesn’t seem to know its arse from its elbow
He’s just out of prison.. 4 years seems appropriate.
Hell hath no fury than a man who is demented…
What about a woman that’s demented?!
Just as bad if, often more toxic
This is stalking and actually it’s very terrifying. You have another person trying to control you through threats of death. I am pleased to see the courts taking this seriously. Too many women have ended up dead at the hands of exes and men who wanted to be in a relationship with them. This is all about control through fear intimidation and threats and extortion. It’s absolutely terrifying if your the one facing this menace on a daily basis. I seen this from both sides. The more jail time the better here. While that guy walking Away from a rape conviction with no.jail time was an outrage it doesn’t help to compare the two crimes as it belittles the seriousness of this crime here
The difference between this case and the previous case last week where the convicted rapist walked away free is the judge in this case was a woman. Seems to me that the ‘old boys’ in the judging chair have some sort of disgusting old school ideas that ‘rape isn’t that bad’ or a mindset that rape is partly the victims fault. Horrible as it is to think, the leniency with which rapists have been shown in Irish courts suggests I’m not all that wrong.
That concluded this week’s lesson from the Irish Legal System. What have we learned? Threats are bad but Rape is A-OK
Nasty of course but a jail sentence for threatening text messages? The courts seem to have a strange set of priorities these days
Stephen, when does threatening deserve a jail sentence?
I’m not saying this doesn’t deserve jail time but how can you be sent to jail for this and yet rape gets a suspended sentence?!
Because rape victims are never careful enough not to be victimised, and rapists are the true victims of it, specially paedophiles. God love em, the afflicted poor souls :(
Absolute psycho.
I always wonder why people do that kind of stuff to their ex’s it’s not like its going to win them back for you.
He wasn’t gonna do it by half measures was he, pretty enthusiastic.
That’s the problem with unlimited texts !!!!
Two years for a txt message but rape somebody and you walk out of court… Madness!
so admitting to rape is ok with no sentance, but this gets him jail time. looks like actions Dont speak louder than words
James, the Rapist got a sentence, it was suspended, but it is still a sentence.
You have to be really careful not to overstep the mark when send the “f**k you” messages at the end of a relationship.
I’d advise using a smartphone and taking regular backups and download text messages so they can be correlated to the phone bill.
That way the Gardai can tell who’s lying.
Isn’t that right Sergeant Murphy?
If only he put a lol and a winky emoji at the end he could have claimed it was all banter!!!!
And they say romance is dead?
won’t take him back now.
proper order out there plenty of sociopath s out there
at least this is a genuine case and 4 years is a reasonable sentence! but the independents own writer paul williams has had many people in court by making false claims like this one! imagine if they had been found guilty and received a similar sentence to this one! luckily they werent found guilty despite williams perjury in court! shame on you williams!
Down with that sort if thing
Objectively though, this fella seems like more of a danger to society going forward than the man who walked free the other day, no? I’m not saying he should have went free, I,m just saying on the face of it he seems less likely to reoffend tham this fella is to commit further crimes.
Objextively maybe not the right word, rationally.
he gets jail but another guy admits rapibg his gf while she slept and is let free …. !! #nojusticeireland
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