Couple apologetic for verbal abuse of woman

A couple who admitted verbally abusing a young mother have been given suspended jail terms by Judge Kevin Kilrane at Sligo District Court.

The Judge said the matters were very serious and that Denis Murphy of 6 Collery Drive, Cranmore and Melissa Farrellof 15 Collery Drive had engaged in a sustained campaign of harassment against Lisa Clarke who had told the court that all she wanted was to be left alone.

The court heard the abuse occurred after Ms Clarke had been in a relationship with a brother of Murphy whom he didn’t get on with.

“That’s what this was all about, over a relationship with the defendant’s brother,” said Judge Kilrane. When Garda Kevin Donegan went to investigate the complaints the door was slammed in his face by the defendants.

Judge Kilrane said Ms Clarke had been harassed in a most appalling way and that Murphy, who was a big, tall man should be ashamed of himself.

Murphy was given a two months jail term, suspended for two years and he was warned not to contact or interfere with Ms Clarke ever again, not to even “touch a hair on her head.”

And the Judge told Farrell, a mother of two, that she had played an “equally despicable role” in threatening Ms Clarke.

Farrell was given a one month jail term, suspended also for two years.

Murphy and Farrell had been charged with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour at The Hawthorns, Carraroe on September 18th 2015.

Farrell was also summoned for similar offences at Carraroe on September 7 th 2015 and at Aldi, Cranmore Road on January 2nd 2016. Garda Kevin Donegan told the court that on September 7 th Ms Clarke called to the station to state that when she had been dropping her child off at a creche at the Hawthorns, Carraroe, the defendants passed in the opposite direction.

Murphy slowed the car and Farrell pointed out the window at her and made a cut throat gesture at her.

Garda Donegan called to the defendants and Farrell told him she would “dance” on Ms Clarke’s head. The door was then slammed in her face. On September 18th, Ms Clarke contacted Garda Donegan again to say that at th creche, Farrell told her that she was ‘f ***ing dead and that she would burn her car. Murphy called her a ‘f ***ing tramp.”

The Garda again called to the defendants. Murphy told the Garda he was useless and was only doing what suited him. The Garda was told to “f ***-off ” and that they were only “assh***s.”

On January 2nd at Aldi, Farrell shouted out the passenger window at Ms Clarke that she was a “f ***ing scumbag and that she was dead.”

Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor (defending) said Ms Clarke had been going out with Brian Murphy and that he and the defendant did not get on. The defendants were apologetic and Ms Clarke had nothing to fear from them, he said.