Limerick man told detective he would murder him and ‘bury him where no one would find him’, court hears
"He looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘I am going to murder you'"
A MAN told a detective garda he would give him a “slow death” and “bury him where no one would find him”, Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard.
A jury of eight women and four men were sworn in on Tuesday to hear the trial of a man accused of threatening to kill Detective Garda Dean Landers.
Kieran “Bunny” Barry, aged 51, of Galvone Road, Kennedy Park, Limerick city, is accused of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to Det Garda Landers, sale or supply of cannabis, possession of cannabis, and resisting Det Garda Landers in the execution of his duty.
The alleged offences occurred outside and inside Mr Barry’s home on May 3, 2019. Mr Barry denies all four charges.
Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan, instructed by State solicitor Padraig Mawe, addressed the jury before asking the first witness - Det Garda Landers - to take the stand this Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Barry is represented by Andrew Sexton SC, appearing with Amy Nix BL.
Det Garda Landers and Det Garda John Keane responded to a “neighbourly dispute” shortly before 9pm on the date in question.
“Mr Barry immediately became verbally abusive towards me. He pointed his finger at me and told me ‘to get the f*** out of here’. He continued to get more aggressive. He said he wanted a ‘fair go’ and to take my uniform off. We tried to calm the situation. We told him to go back into his house but he refused,” said Det Garda Landers.
The detective garda said Mr Barry told him he was “going to murder me next time he caught me on my own, was going to slash my head off and bury me somewhere where no one would find me”.
“He said, ‘I know where you live, you lanky p***k. He got more aggressive and clenched his fists. He said, ‘I’m going to give you a slow death and my kids a slower one’.
"He said he was going to ‘call to that mother of mine, f*** her and strangle her’. He had his two hands together in a strangling motion and was gyrating his hips. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘I am going to murder you’,” said Det Garda Landers.
The court heard when Mr Barry saw a patrol van turn into the estate he ran into the house and locked the door. When gardai entered the property to effect the arrest of Mr Barry he had fled through the back door.
The court heard two hours later gardai returned to the house. Det Garda Landers said he saw Mr Barry sitting on a couch. The detective said the front door was unlocked and when he entered the house and then the sitting room, Mr Barry “ran straight at me”.
“I deployed pepper spray to incapacitate him,” said Det Garda Landers. He said there was a quantity of cannabis and bags on the couch which were seized.
Prosecuting barrister Mr O’Sullivan asked Det Garda Landers what was his reaction to the alleged threats?
“I was in shock. It was disturbing. He seemed to know a lot about my personal life. He said kids. What he acted out with regards to my mother was not very nice. I’m a garda for 15 years. He looked me in the eyes and said he was going to murder me. I 100% believed him,” said Det Garda Landers.
Mr Sexton, defending, asked why he led the way on the second occasion (following the alleged threats)?
“I have a job to do unfortunately,” said Det Garda Landers.
Mr Sexton asked the detective if he was in uniform. The detective said he was in plain clothes.
The senior counsel asked why his client would say take off your uniform and “fight me” if he was in plain clothes.
“They were his words. I can’t change them,” said Det Garda Landers.
Mr Sexton said it is accepted there was drunken talk, an abusive exchange but it is “not a case of threats”.
“That’s not true. I remember it word for word,” said Det Garda Landers.
Mr Sexton asked if he displayed his gun when he entered the sitting room?
“No. It’s something I hope I never use,” said Det Garda Landers.
The trial continues.