Probation order after threats

The former partner of a woman who made a number of abusive and threatening phone calls to her despite having a safety order in place against him and previously breached a similar order taken by his own mother has been placed on probation for 12 months.

Stephen Landa, (46), whose address was given as Sydney place, Wellington Road, Cork, admitted, at an earlier hearing of the district court, being the sender of the mobile phone communications to the woman, who lives in Dundalk, between July 29 and November 11.

Gardai said the victim called to Dundalk Garda station and said Landa, who is the father of her child, had made a number of threatening and offensive phone calls to her in breach of a court order.

Landa, the court heard, has 23 previous convictions, mostly for public order and including one for a similar offence in 2010.

Barrister Sarah Jane Judge said there had been ‘ an issue between him and the victim in relation to access to their son which had been triggering the incidents’.

She said Landa was ‘highly apologetic and undertakes not to contact the mother of the child again’. She said the breach of the previous order involved his mother and ‘ they are fine now’.

Ms Judge said there was ‘ a clear nexus’ between these incidents and Landa drinking. She said he will ‘never again’ breach an other like this and is ‘highly remorseful’.

The case had been adjourned for a probation report. Judge John Coughlan wanted to know where the defendant was from. Solicitor Elaine Connolly said he was from Cork. But the judge wanted to know where Landa was ‘from originally’. Ms Connolly said he had been born in England, but had lived in Ireland for 40 years.

Judge Coughlan said he would follow the recommendations of the Probation Service and placed Landa on a probation bond for 12 months.