A MAN threatened to cut the throat of a close relation of his estranged wife and leave her “in a body bag,” Galway District Court was told.
He also threatened to use a shotgun on his estranged wife and sent over 700 threatening messages to his victim over a 48-hour period.
Judge Fiona Lydon described the behaviour as very concerning and at the higher end of the scale.
The victim was put in fear. The couple had been married for a significant period and had four children together. His wife had now moved on and he found it difficult to cope with this, the Court was told.
However, the defendant, who remains in custody, told her he was very remorseful and very ashamed of his behaviour and had written a letter of apology to his victim. He pleaded guilty to all four charges before him.
He added that he was getting treatment for his alcohol issues and was attending AA in prison.
His defence pleaded that his former wife had actually tried to give evidence which would keep him out of prison and had tried to withdraw her complaint. He had no previous safety-order conditions imposed on him.
“I slipped off the rails and I apologise to everybody involved,” the defendant told the Court.
The defendant had 31 previous convictions, the majority for traffic offences, but he had six public order convictions and one drug offence.
Adjourning sentencing until the September 23 sitting, Judge Lydon said she wanted to see proof then that he had undergone anger management treatment and, if so, she would be in a position to impose sanctions accordingly.
