Man ‘locked woman in his van and said he’d cut her up’
COURT IS TOLD THAT HE THREATENED TO KILL HER
A MAN has appeared in court accused of locking a woman in his van, pulling a knife on her and threatening to “cut her up and bury her.”
Karl O’Reilly (40) with an address at Higginstown Woods, Granard, Co Longford, appeared before a sitting of Bray District Court.
He was accused of locking a woman in his home, assaulting her, threatening to kill her with a knife and poker and then taking her to Co Mayo in a van, where he allegedly threatened “to kill her multiple times.”
Mr O’Reilly is accused of two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of threats to kill, a section three assault, and possession of knives.
The court heard the false imprisonment charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison upon conviction.
Giving evidence of arrest charge and caution before Judge Nicola Jane Andrews, Detective Sergeant Donal O’Sullivan from Arklow Garda Station said he charged the accused with three of the six offences at 1:50am and he responded “no thanks” after caution.
Detective Garda Daragh Mulhall then gave evidence of arrest charge and caution with respect to the other three charges — to which he said the accused made no reply.
In objection to bail, Det Sgt O’Sullivan laid out the State’s case against the accused — telling the court the charges relate to a complaint made by a woman (31) who made written statements on March 12.
Mood
The officer told the court the woman travelled from the UK to Ireland in mid-February and was collected at Dublin Airport by the accused — who was known to her.
He said the woman alleges Mr O’Reilly’s “mood deteriorated” after he missed his uncle’s funeral — and that this resulted in him becoming “violent” on February 28.
The woman alleges her “liberty was restricted” over a 15-hour period — with the accused preventing her from leaving his home in Granard by locking the back door and pulling her back when she tried to leave.
She alleged the accused jumped on her, “kicking her and causing bruising” before he threatened to stab and kill her with a rusty kitchen knife or poker.
Judge Andrews refused the accused bail and remanded him into custody.
He is set to appear again before Bray District Court next Thursday.