67-year-old convicted of threatening to kill neighbour

A jury last night found a 67-year-old Co Clare man guilty of threatening to kill his neighbour.

At Ennis Circuit Court, there were emotional scenes as the jury in a majority verdict found father of seven grown-up children, Martin McLaughlin of Ballymaconna, Barefield, Co Clare guilty of threatening to kill Raymond Crowley in March 2010.

The jury earlier unanimously found the retired Dept of Agriculture officer guilty of harassing his neighbours, Raymond and Patrizia Crowley over a six-year period from October 1st, 2006 to March 31st, 2012.

The jury also found Mr McLaughlin’s wife, Ann, not guilty of harassing the Crowleys over the same period.

However, moments after Mrs McLaughlin was acquitted, she wept openly in court and held onto her husband in the dock after he was found guilty of the harassment counts.

Later as the guilty verdict of threatening to kill Mr Crowley on March 2010 was read out, Mr McLaughlin looked at the jury members and shook his head.

Two of Mr McLaughlin’s daughters also wept as the guilty verdict on the threat to kill charge was called out.

At the back of the court, Mr Crowley wept and embraced his wife. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on a separate threat of kill Mr Crowley charge against Mr McLaughlin in September 2011.

The jury reached their verdicts after deliberating for over three hours at the end of a six-day trial.

In the case, Mr Crowley told the court that in March 2010, Mr McLaughlin told him “I will get my lads to beat the shit out of you and bury you in that f**king wall.”

Mr Crowley said that he asked Mr McLaughlin was he threatening his life and Mr McLaughlin replied, “Yes I f**king am.”

Yesterday evening at court Judge Gerald Keyes remanded Mr McLaughlin on bail to January 12th next.

He told the court: “My sentencing will be hugely influenced if between now and then these matters can be resolved between the families in some way. If one wants to say there is now peace ... I will be influenced to a very large degree if people can resolve their differences that has led to this prosecution.”

During the trial Patrizia Crowley said she feels like a prisoner in her own home. She said that “I am constantly terrified in my own home”.

She added: “My oldest boy has lost out on his childhood because this is going on for a number of years. We moved out to the country for peace and quiet, but we never go it.”

She told the jury: ”We have a house, but we don’t have a home.”

Mrs Crowley said that they installed CCTV at their property “because of all the harassment”.

She said that is “very intimidated” by grunting and groaning she heard from Mr McLaughlin on various dates.

She said: “I won’t go outside the door and walk around the garden unless Raymond is with me. I am too terrified. If I have to go see my neighbours straight across the road, I will drive across the road.”