Attacker said he’d cut throat of priest

A HOMELESS chronic alcoholic told a parish priest he would cut his throat, a court has heard.

Jamie O’Connor, 37, was yesterday jailed for an assault on the popular parish priest of Ennis, Fr Tom Hogan, at Ennis Cathedral in Co. Clare on March 22 last.

Fr Hogan had allowed O’Connor to live in a tent on the church grounds for the three months before the attack. The court heard that at around 6.30pm on March 22, Fr Hogan came into the grounds and saw three homeless people, including O’Connor.

Minutes later, O’Connor burst through the door of the church and tackled Fr Hogan, hurling abuse at him and threatening to cut his throat, Ennis District Court heard.

The court heard Fr Hogan had asked O’Connor to remove his tent from the grounds and seek alternative accommodation, as there were works going on by a contractor. It was heard that during the incident, Fr Hogan was ‘very afraid’ O’Connor was going to throw a punch at him.

O’Connor placed his hand very forcibly on the upper arm of Fr Hogan, and was very threatening and physical, it was heard. In a statement to gardaí, Fr Hogan said: ‘I was fearful for my own safety.’

The assault was only defused when another local priest, Fr Ger Fitzgerald, came onto the scene and helped pull O’Connor away.

Judge Patrick Durcan yesterday jailed O’Connor for three months for the assault, and also banned him from attending Ennis Cathedral for two years.