Limerick man threatened to burn ex-partner's home following breakdown of relationship

A WOMAN who was threatened by her ex-partner has revealed how she is still terrified that he will find her and attack her - more than 18 months after the incident.

The defendant - Martin Enright,  aged 47, of Loughill East, Newcastle West - will be sentenced later this month after he pleaded guilty to making threats to burn down her home on two separate dates last year.

With the assistance of Sergeant Ian Cummins, prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley said Mr Enright made threats to kick down the door of the property in Newcastle West, late at night on March 13, 2024. 

He told the victim that nothing would stop him from seeing his child and that he “would start a war” if she took out a Barring Order to protect herself from him. 

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Sgt Cummins confirmed that during a separate incident, on March 23, 2024, Mr Enright threatened to burn down the victim’s brother’s apartment in Cork and the victim’s home in Limerick.

Those threats, he said, were made to the injured party's brother at his home.

Mr Enright told him that he knew “people in Dublin” and that “there’s going to be a big problem if she doesn’t answer his texts”. 

The court heard that on another occasion Mr Enright told his ex-partner that she was “a dummy and a weak woman” and that she “couldn’t stand up for herself”.  

Ms Buckley told the court that the woman was forced to move out of her home due to safety concerns brought on by Mr Enright’s threats. 

During the sentencing hearing, Ms Buckley read out the woman's victim impact statement to the court. The woman outlined how she and her two children “were homeless because of a person that threatened us”.  She wrote that she is “still terrified” and is “living in constant fear”. 

She added that her son was just five months old when the offences happened. "The baby, now almost two years old, is still afraid of loud noises,” she stated, adding her daughter is "withdrawn, detached and scared of shadows and wind".

The woman said she wishes to be able “to walk down the street with my children with no fear”.

Judge Colin Daly was given additional details surrounding the background, including how Mr Enright wanted to stay in the victim’s house after their child was born, but that his behaviour became abusive and that he became "suspicious" of his ex-partner.

The relationship between the two ended in November 2023, which the man found “hard to accept”. 

In his plea of mitigation, Donal Cronin BL said his client “wishes to apologise profusely to the injured parties” and that he has since attended treatment for alcoholism. 

He said the defendant “works in the construction industry” and has accepted his actions were not acceptable.

Judge Daly was told Mr Enright wished to offer €3,000 in compensation to his ex-partner as a “token” adding that she has "no reason to be concerned or to fear him going forward". 

The court heard that the pair currently have a custody arrangement in place and that it is “working very smoothly”.

Mr Enright, who has a number of previous convictions, will be sentenced on December 11.

This article was funded by the Court Reporting Scheme.