A guy who sent out a barrage of threatening texts to his previous pal when he stated he might not take care of his dog.
Andrew McCulloch was prior to Letterkenny Circuit on a charge of pestering Gerard Devine over a five-day duration in July 2019.
An overall of 268 messages, both composed and audio, were sent out by McCulloch to Mr Devine, the court heard.
In a strange series of texts, McCulloch threatened to mark on Mr Devine’s partner’s dog and after that rape his partner.
McCulloch had actually provided Mr Devine EUR600 to purchase a van, with Mr Devine suggesting that the cash would remain in lieu of lease.
McCulloch was remaining in a home owned by Mr Devine in Raphoe and did not pay lease, the court was informed.
The barrage started when Mr Devine informed him that he might not take care of his dog.
McCulloch threatened to burn the van on Mr Devine’s driveway.
He informed Mr Devine: “If the Belfast lads get you, it will be healthcare facility.” He included another message: “Next time I see you, I’ll put you on the flooring and stamp on your face.”
In another, he informed Mr Devine: “No deal with damaged legs.”
Mr Devine did not react and McCulloch stated in a message about Ms Clarke: “If you do not respond, I’ll have her killed.”
The list continued with McCulloch stating: “Amanda’s home looks well combustible” while he threatened to mark on Ms Clarke’s dog, Coco.
Another message threatened that a mixed martial arts fighter would be given assault Mr Devine and Ms Clarke.
Among the most troubling messages sent out by McCulloch saw him threaten to rape Ms Clarke.
In a victim effect declaration, Ms Clarke stated she ended up being afraid to leave her home.
” I was residing in worry of my life when he threatened to burn my home down and rape me,” she stated.
” It took a long period of time for me to leave Letterkenny. I still have actually not settled into my brand-new home, however it is much better than residing in worry.”
Garda Cathriona Flynn stated Mr Devine thought that he remained in threat and moved the van to a pal’s home as he thought McCulloch might burn it.
McCulloch was on bail when he stopped working to appear prior to the court in November, 2015 and a European Arrest Warrant was consequently carried out.
In an interview following his arrest on July 17, 2019, McCulloch confessed sending out the messages. He informed Gardaí that he thought the messages had actually not provided.
McCulloch has 12 previous convictions in Northern Ireland, one in England and one in Hungary.
3 of his convictions associate with criminal damage with the others including marijuana growing, car offenses and dishonesty offenses.
McCulloch required to the witness box to ‘apologise a lot’ for his actions.
” I wasn’t in control of what I was stating,” he stated. “They were the ravings of a highly-intoxicated male and I indicated no genuine damage. I need to have got angrier and thus the barrage.”
McCulloch had actually been preparing to open a gastro bar in County Clare, however that objective has actually been shelved.
He has actually been a working detainee while in custody, the court heard. At one phase throughout the Covid-19 pandemic,
McCulloch was locked upon for 1 month without any access to entertainment centers.
Lawyer for McCulloch, Mr Niall O’Neill BL, stated his customer went on ‘an alcohol-fuelled tirade’. “An ominous aspect was not a part of this,” he stated.
McCulloch has actually remained in jail because December, 2019.
Mr O’Neill stated his customer does not belong to live at the minute.
” He has a boat in Gweedore,” he stated.
Passing sentence, Judge Aylmer stated the harassment took place in the context of a conflict in between 2 guys who had actually been good friends.
” It consisted of dangers to eliminate the other and disgusting dangers in relation to his partner,” Judge Aylmer stated. “It is definitely an extremely severe offense. It is clear that the offense had an extremely severe influence on the victims, especially Ms Clarke.”
Judge Aylmer stated the event warranted a beginning point prior to thinking about mitigation. McCulloch, he stated, made admissions, co-operated with the examination and followed up with a guilty plea. McCulloch has actually invested a great deal of time in jail because 2003.
” I accept that he is really sorry and rather ashamed,” Judge Aylmer stated. “His behaviour was sustained by alcohol and the offenses were devoted while he remained in an extremely inebriated state.”
The sentence was minimized to among 3 years in jail with credit for perpetuity served in custody.
McCulloch was purchased to have no contact with Mr Devine or Amanda Clarke for 10 years.
Judge Aylmer directed that McCulloch not go within 500 metres of the house of the victims.
Generally, McCulloch would have been complimentary to go out of court on Friday due to the period of his imprisonment, as he remains in custody on foot of a European Arrest Warrant for other matters, he was gone back to Cloverhill Jail.
His extradition has actually been looked for to Northern Ireland and a hearing on that matter has actually been set up.
The previous week, Judge Aylmer declined a bail; application, stating he was worried that McCulloch was a flight danger.
” It is all rather scholastic as the implicated with stay in custody in any occasion,” Judge Aylmer stated.
Guy sent out 268 messages to previous pal after row over dog was last customized: November 7th, 2022 by
