A couple who were harassed by ‘a neighbour from hell’ over six years have stated that “justice wasn’t served” after the man walked free from court.
Ray and Patrizia Crowley were speaking after Judge Gerald Keys imposed a three year suspended jail term on retired Dept of Agriculture officer and father of seven grown up children, Martin McLoughlin (68).
At Ennis Circuit Court, Mr McLoughlin of Ballymaconna, Barefield, Ennis was convicted by a jury last November of threatening to kill Raymond Crowley in 2010 and harassing Mr Crowley and his wife, Patrizia over a six year period from October 1st 2006 to March 31st 2012.
Shortly after Mr McLoughlin descended the steps of Ennis courthouse to be greeted by his wife, Anne and other members of his family after receiving the suspended jail term, the Crowleys, holding back tears, expressed their ‘disgust’ at the sentence.
Outside court, Mr Crowley said: “We are totally disgusted with that verdict with what we have been through as a family. Our lives have been destroyed."
Mother of two, Mrs Crowley said: “Justice wasn’t served…we got the life sentence.”
Mr Crowley said: “We weren’t looking for jail for anyone, we just wanted the law to do what had to be done. You have seen the charges, the amount of years. We feel that we have been totally let down. There is nothing there for us because we don’t think this will stop."
When it was put to them that they appeared very upset at the sentence, Mrs Crowley said: “If you were a prisoner in your own home with your children and you were in fear of your lives, how would you feel?"
Mr Crowley said: “We don’t think we got justice.”
Solicitor for the McLoughlins, John Devane said that they can now get on with their lives and from here on in will have a peaceful life.
Earlier in court, Judge Keys said that Mr McLoughlin “comes across as an arrogant man with bully boy tactics”.
Judge Keyes, who previously said that Mr McLoughlin could be described as a ’neighbour from hell' said: “Despite warnings by the Garda' as to your conduct, you continued to harass and threaten the Crowley family."
The judge said that Mr McLoughlin’s lack of insight of the consequences of his actions and “your lack of genuine remorse for your outrageous conduct over the years” were aggravating factors in the case.
He said: “Your criminal conduct has had a profound effect on the Crowley family and you should be ashamed of yourself because of that.”
Judge Keys said: “While you have written a letter of apology to the Crowley family for the hurt that they feel that you have caused them, I am not impressed with this wording and not fully convinced that you are genuinely remorseful for your conduct."
Judge Keys said that the Crowleys gave evidence that they lived in fear of Mr McLoughlin and their victim impact statements confirmed this.
He said: “You have made their lives a misery. They came to Barefield to raise their family and live a quiet and peaceful life. But from the first day that Mr Crowley walked on to the site and met Mr McLoughlin, his life and his wife’s life has been, as he put it “a living nightmare".
Judge Keys said that the Crowleys stated that Mr McLoughlin “took away their hopes and dreams and replaced them with fear and misery. Their health has been affected."
He said: "Patrizia Crowley feels like a prisoner in her own home constantly checking CCTV because of the fear she has of you. She fears that you will carry out the threat to kill her husband."
Judge Keys said: “They state they would like to move away from the area but can’t do so because of financial restrictions. Mr Crowley said that you have taken 11 years of their lives and this can’t be undone. All they want is to be left in peace.”
Judge Keys said that the only mitigating factor in Mr McLoughlin’s favour was that he had no previous convictions.
The judge said that “a message must go out from this court that anyone that wishes to behave in the manner that you have behaved to a neighbour or anyone else will not be treated lightly by this court. Therefore, the sentence to be imposed must be seen as a deterrent to others considering engaging in this type of action.”
When Judge Keys said that he would impose four different sentences ranging from 18 months to three years, Mrs McLoughlin and one of her daughters started to weep in court.
However, addressing Mr McLoughlin, Judge Keys said that “because of your background, your age and I hope – your remorse, I am prepared to suspend all of these sentences for a period of four years”.
Judge Keys said he would suspend the sentences on condition that Mr McLoughlin enter a bond to be of good behaviour; that you do not communicate with the Crowley family unless you have their prior permission and that you don’t repeat any of the conduct that was the subject matter of the trial.
Judge Keys warned that if there was a breach of these conditions “I will have no hesitation in activating part of all of this sentence”.
