DAD SENT ABUSIVE TEXTS TO A SLIGO SCHOOLGIRL, AGED 16
A father sent abusive texts and Facebook messages to a girl after his son was beaten up, Sligo District Court was told.
The man’s son received a severe beating and ended up in hospital and the defendant suspected it was the girl’s two brothers who were responsible. The girl was going out with the defendant’s son at the time.
Before the court was David McGowan ( 46), a lorry driver of Riverside Apartments, Sligo who admitted harassing Shannon Luby, now 18, between December 1st and 2nd 2014 at JFK Parade and with making threats to kill Gavin and Kyle Luby ( 22) between the same dates.
He was represented by Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor.
Mrs Luby told the court that at the time her two sons were blamed for assaulting the defednant’s son, Kevin but she stated they weren’t even in Sligo at the time.
The witness described the messages sent to her then 16- year- old daughter as very bad and deplorable. The defendant had threatened to kill her two brothers.
Inspector Denis Joyce read the content of the messages to court including one where the defendant told Shannon Luby to get two graves ready for her two brothers.
McGowan also stated that he was going to kill the brothers.
The Inspector said that Shannon Luby was in a relationship at some stage with Kevin McGowan but they had broken up.
Kevin McGowan subsequently was beaten up and the defendant assumed Gavin and Kyle Luby were responsible.
Mrs Luby said the texts and messages had a big effect on her daughter who was doing studying for Leaving Certificate at the time.
The witness agreed with Mr MacSharry that there had been no messages sent from the defendant since.
However, the witness said that the defendant’s “son and wife were continuing this on and I want this stopped completely.”
McGowan apologised in court to the Luby family for his behaviour saying he had been extremely upset at the time.
His son, who was also 16 at the time, had received broken ribs, a perforated lung and had a knife put across his stomach.
In reply to Inspector Joyce who asked if he had drink taken when he sent the messages, the defendant said he had “a few on him.”
Mrs Luby said the defendant’s son was still interrogating her daughter and turned up a her new place of employment two weeks ago.
The defendant said he knew nothing about this. Asked by Judge Kevin Kilrane why he thought his son was beaten up, McGowan said his ex wife had asked Shannon Luby to stop visiting their home.
His son had told him it was the Luby brothers who had assaulted him but he was afraid to make a statement to Gardaí.
Adjourning the case to November 3rd the Judge said he would like to hear from the defendant’s son and directed a witness summons be issued for this purpose.
The Judge said he would also like to hear from Shannon Luby but Mrs Luby said she would prefer not to bring her daughter to court.