Court told of Christmas Eve visit by men demanding money for drugs debt

A MOTHER told Wexford Circuit Criminal Court how three men visited her home on Christmas Eve looking for money in relation to her son’s drug debt.

Linda Ring of 9 Cuan an Tobair, Oylegate, was giving evidence in the trial of 47-year-old John Reilly of 11 Commodore Barry Park, Rosslare and also with an address at 22 Vinegar Hill, Enniscorthy.

Reilly had pleaded not guilty before Judge Cormac Quinn to a charge of demanding money with menace at 9 Cuan an Tobair, Oylegate on December 24, 2017.

The jury, following deliberations of 20 minutes, returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

When the trial opened, prosecuting counsel Dan Boland told the court that the two main witnesses for the prosecution, Ms Linda Ring and Mr Declan Kavanagh were not present in court.

Sgt John Cleary told the court he had spoken with the witnesses and that Enniscorthy Gardai were on their way to the home of the witnesses.

Following a delay, both witnesses turned up in court, but Sgt Cleary said that Linda Ring was outside the courtroom in a distressed state, not wanting to give evidence.

In court, Declan Kavanagh said he did not want anything more to do with the trial and wanted to withdraw his statement, adding that they needed to get home to mind their children.

At this point, Judge Quinn suggested that Ms Ring give evidence on the day in question (Thursday), leaving Mr Kavanagh free to go home to his children and be available to give evidence the following day.

In evidence, Linda Ring said she was in the house with Declan Kavanagh and three of her children at about 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve 2017 when a knock came to the door. When she opened the door she was greeted by three men, one of

ANOTHER FELLOW GOT OUT OF THE VAN WITH A BALACLAVA... I DID NOT WANT MY SON ENDING UP IN HOSPITAL. IT FRIGHTENED ME

whom was wearing a balaclava.

Ms Ring said the men were looking for her son Stephen in relation to a drug debt. According to Ms Ring, they were looking to collect money in relation to the debt.

Ms Ring told the court she was aware of her son’s drug debt and had previously paid €1,200 to John Reilly. She said that the man with the balaclava was a big, stout man adding that she did not recognise any of them as she did not stay at the door that long.

‘I was not interested in talking to any of them. I got a fright and went in for Declan. They just wanted Stephen, they were shouting ‘just get Stephen’. At the time they called Stephen was not in the house. That’s as far as I can recollect.’

Mr. Boland made an application in the absence of the jury to have Ms Ring’s statement read into court as her evidence was not consistent with what she said in the statement.

In her statement Ms Ring said: ‘I was aware Stephen had been smoking cannabis as I had paid sums of money for Stephen for drugs. I was not aware he still owed John Reilly €1300 for drugs. I had received calls and texts from John Reilly looking for Stephen and looking for money.’

Mr. Boland told of Ms Ring saying in her statement of three men being at the door.

She said: ‘I knew John Reilly but did not know the others but one spoke with a Dublin accent. They asked if Stephen was there. I recall John Reilly saying that Coco was picked up tonight and dealt with and is in A&E.

‘Another fellow got out of the van with a balaclava on and went down the side of the house. He said he did not care how Stephen got the money but that they would be back for the money in a couple of days after Christmas. He mentioned €1,300 and that he had come down from Dublin and left his family. Previously each time John Reilly called I gave him money.’

Ms Ring, in reply to defence counsel, Philip Sheahan (instructed by Ed King, solicitor), said she could not remember if Stephen was in the house on the night. ‘I cannot remember what I did yesterday,’ she added.

She also said that on April 27, 2018, and May 10, 2018, men knocked on her door for similar purposes.

‘The man I paid money to previously I believed to be John Reilly as I was told that by my son, Stephen. At the time Stephen was into a lot of drugs as he had gone down a bad road. When they mentioned Coco, who I do not know, I did not want my son ending up in hospital. It frightened me. I took it as a threat towards my son.’

When the trial resumed on Friday morning, witness Declan Kavanagh failed to appear. Judge Quinn issued a bench warrant on the application of Sgt Cleary.

In evidence, Sgt Cleary said that he along with Det Garda Alan O’Shea visited the home of Ms Ring having received a telephone call. On arrival at the house, Ms Ring was quite shaken. Having tried to calm her down she brought them into the house. Present in the house were her two young children, her 20-year-old son Stephen, and Declan Kavanagh, father of her two younger children.

Ms Ring told them of three men having called to the house demanding money from Stephen for a drugs debt. She made a formal complaint by way of a statement. Det. O’Shea was speaking with Declan Kavanagh in a separate room.

Sgt Cleary said they tried to get in contact with John Reilly on New Year’s Day having obtained a search warrant. They went to Commodore Barry Park in Rosslare but he was not present. John Reilly, he said, was later arrested and detained at Enniscorthy Garda Station for six hours.

Det. Garda O’Shea told the court that Declan Kavanagh on the night gave an account of what had happened. He made the statement voluntarily and signed it.

Defence Counsel Mr Sheahan told the jury that they had to be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that both Ms Ring and Mr. Kavanagh were reliable witnesses.

The jury of seven men and five women returned a unanimous guilty verdict after 20 minutes of deliberations.

Mr. Boland said they were opposing bail in the case.

Mr. Sheahan asked for a remand to allow for further deliberations.

Judge Quinn remanded the defendant in custody to November 14. At that hearing, Reilly was further remanded in custody for sentencing on March 18.