‘They tried to burn me out
A SLIGO man told a court his uncle and his cousin tried to burn him out because he was blamed for a “kilo of weed” going missing.
But Sean Breslin, from 16 Market Yard, Sligo, was described as a “weak witness”with credibility issues, at the district court.
Sean Breslin made a series of allegations against his uncle, Jimmy McMorrow Snr, 50, of 1 Market Yard, Sligo, and his cousin James McMorrow Jnr, 22, of the same address that they frequently threatened him.
He also claimed that Jimmy McMorrow Snr told him he would be shot and would be in an early grave. The complainant added that the McMorrows tried to petrol bomb his home and broke his windows. The McMorrows strongly denied all allegations.
The court also played a social media recording of Sean Breslin threatening Jimmy McMorrow Snr, although Breslin was not before the court on any charges. The alleged offences against Jimmy McMorrow Snr and James McMorrow happened on various dates in 2019 and 2020.
James McMorrow Snr was charged with criminal damage by breaking a glass window and front door of 16 Market Yard belonging to Sean Breslin
FOUR locals will be paddling across the Irish Sea this month for a good cause.
Surfers John Monahan and Mark Walton along with Conor McCarrick and Damien Costello will be prone paddling across the body of water in aid of the North West Simon Community and the Irish Heart Foundation. The quartet will set off from Larne in on July 7, 2019. He was also charged with making a threat that he would damage Sean Breslin’s property on July 9, 2019. This defendant was also charged with using threatening and abusive behaviour at the Market Yard on December 28, 2019.
James McMorrow Jnr of the same address was charged with using threatening and abusive behaviour at the Market Yard on April 28 last year. He was also charged with causing criminal damage by breaking a glass window and front door of 16 Market Street belonging to Sean Breslin on July 7, 2019.
In a statement made on April 29, 2020 read to the court, Sean Breslin said he had taken sleeping tablets for panic attacks due to his fear of the McMorrows. He said he was awoken by gardaí and the fire brigade and he was very grateful as he could have been burned out.
The witness claimed a petrol bomb was thrown at his door by the McMorrows and caused a lot of damage. He said that James McMorrow Jnr told him the day before that he would deal with “you, you red at b…..d”. He added that Jimmy McMorrow Snr had told him in late December 2019 that he would have him shot.
In another statement made on
Northern Ireland and conclude their effort in Stranraer in Scotland.
Prone paddle boards are like large surf boards, paddled by hand, lying down or kneeling.
The 40km trip is notoriously difficult due to tidal movement, winds, waves and jellyfish. They have trained six times a week with three sea sessions weekly through the winter. The
July 7, 2019 the defendant said he was sleeping in his front room at 5pm when he was awoke by glass smashing in his front windows. It was the McMorrows again and they told him they would put him in an early grave and that they would be back later that night.
The witness told the court he was terrified of leaving the house and could not even go to the shops.
The defendant made further statements on July 9, 2019 and May 18, 2020 alleging that Jimmy McMorrow Snr told him he would be shot.
The defendant agreed under cross-examination from defence solicitor Gerry McGovern that he had been living in the Market Yard for three years and that he did not consider Jimmy McMorrow Snr as his uncle even though he was his biological uncle and James Jnr was his biological cousin.
Mr McGovern said Jimmy McMorrow Snr had been living there for a long time.
The solicitor asked the witness why didn’t he move out.
“It is not as simple as that,” the witness said. He said he was trying to get another house from the council and Cllr Gino O’Boyle was working on it. Sean Breslin added that he could not do anything about the house until this case was heard in court.
North West Simon Community was chosen by John Monahan as his charity to support while Mark chose the Irish Heart Foundation.
The paddlers will set on their journey across the Irish Sea on June 13.
To support this very worthy fundraiser, visit www.justgiving.com and search for Mark Walton and John Monahan.
The solicitor asked the witness if this were “all one way” from the McMorrows.
The witness said he was not taking the rap for something he didn’t do. He claimed the McMorrows came threatening him when they took drink and drugs. He added: “The dogs in the street know what is going on.” Mr McGovern said Sean Breslin had no other witnesses to back his account.
The latter replied: “Do I need one?” He added: “I am absolutely scared of the McMorrows.”
Mr McGovern said Jimmy McMorrow had told the gardaí all about the witness.
The witness said he had broken up with his partner and Jimmy McMorrow was part of that, but it was “water under the bridge”. Mr McGovern asked the witness: “You don’t interfere with Jimmy McMorrow Snr and Jnr?” Mr McGovern produced a social media recording of the witness threatening James McMorrow Snr. Prosecuting Inspector Paul Kilcoyne objected, saying this was the first he had heard of the recording.
The court then broke for lunch. After lunch the Inspector said that he had no objection to the recording and the witness confirmed that it was him on the tape. Mr McGovern asked the witness: “How can you come to court telling untruths?”
The witness replied that it was relative to everything that was going on Mr McGovern said the witness gave an impression to gardaí and the court that he was in fear of his life, yet he put up stuff on the internet to antagonise and cause problems.
The court played the message which said that Jimmy McMorrow Snr was not so smart now, was a handicapped b…..d and “the Smell won’t piss me off again.”
The message added that a named individual would burn Jimmy McMorrow’s home.
The solicitor said the witness had been misleading the court and giving the impression that he is this innocent who can’t go outside the door.
The solicitor added that the term Jimmy “The Smell” was very derogatory and the witness had called his client a “handicapped b ****** ” and had said that his home would be burned. The witness said it was his voice on the recording but that was “neither here nor there.”
He added that Jimmy McMorrow Snr was attacking him because a kilo of drugs had gone missing. Mr McGovern said the witness was