Limerick teenager charged with threatening to kill mother

A 17-YEAR-OLD put a tea towel on his mother’s face, wrapped sellotape around her head and told her this was how she “was going to die”, Kilmallock Court heard.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, sat beside his mother and father during the hearing. He has been charged with threatening to kill and assaulting his mother.

Defending solicitor, Con Barry, entered guilty pleas on both counts. The case was investigated by Detective Sergeant Ted Riordan and Garda Ivan Hannify.

On February 14, 2019, Garda Hannify said gardai were called to the family home in County Limerick. He said a verbal argument between the youth and his mother “escalated”.

“She alleges he struck her with a closed fist twice. He then took a black handled knife and said, ‘I will stab you to death, I don’t have a problem with it’. His mother called for help. He knocked her to the ground,” said Garda Hannify.

The garda told Judge Marian O’Leary that the teen then put a tea towel on his mother’s face.

“He wrapped sellotape around her head. She couldn’t breathe. He said this was how she ‘was going to die’. She was in fear for her life,” said Garda Hannify, who added that the defendant has no previous convictions.

Mr Barry applied for a pre-sanction report from the Probation Service. He held mitigation until a later date. The solicitor said his client is attending Pieta House. Mr Barry said there are “underlying conditions”.

Following the hearing in Kilmallock, Mr Barry applied for a psychologist report in Limerick District Court which was granted by the judge.

Judge O’Leary asked the State to prepare a victim impact statement before adjourning the case back to Kilmallock Court.