A Garda and his wife were forced to leave behind their life in west Clare after receiving a severed pig’s head in the post.
At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Sgt Ronan O’Hara said that Garda Paul Heaslip and his wife, teacher, Natalie O’Neill requested job transfers away from West Clare after receiving the decomposing pig’s head in the post at their Kilkee home on January 30th 2012.
Sgt O’Hara was yesterday speaking at the sentencing hearing of Brendan Mahoney (48) of 74 Cabra Park, Dublin 7.
A jury found Mr Mahoney guilty of sending the pig’s head to the couple after deliberating for only 44 minutes.
Sgt O’Hara said that receiving the pig’s head “had serious consequences for Garda Heaslip”.
Sgt O’Hara said that Kilrush was Garda Heaslip’s first station after graduating as a Garda out of Templemore.
Sgt O’Hara said: “As a result of receiving the pig’s head, Natalie had to leave her teaching job in the area. She was in fear to go to work on her own or to be in the house on her own, so Garda Heaslip would have to be with her at all times.”
He said: “They ended up having to leave the accommodation that they were in. Garda Heaslip had to go off work for a period of time.
Sgt O’Hara said that Garda Heaslip requested a transfer and was moved to Ennis, even though he would have preferred to have stayed in west Clare.
He said: “It caused enormous stress to a young couple starting off in life.”
In the trial, Ms O’Neill said that she was was ‘afraid’, ‘disgusted’ and ‘horrified’ when she saw that a box delivered to her home contained the severed pig’s head.
She told the jury: “I was shocked, horrified, disgusted, probably 17 different emotions all at once. I was afraid. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t know what was going on.”
In the case, the State presented CCTV evidence of Mr Mahoney at Prussia Street Post Office in Dublin with the box that was sent to Garda Heaslip containing the pig’s head.
Asked by Judge Gerald Keyes why the pig’s head was sent to Garda Heaslip, Sgt O’Hara said that it was a case of “wrong place, wrong time”.
He said: “Mr Mahoney was around the area associating with people who were of interest to us. One day, another agency within our organisation was working in the area and Garda Heaslip was detailed to accompany this agency out and they met with Mr Mahoney and Mr Mahoney was spoken to.
Sgt O'Hara said that Garda Heaslip by being associated with these people ended up receiving the pig’s head from Mr Mahoney.
Sgt O'Hara said that Mr Mahoney has 46 previous convictions dating between 1983 and 2013.
Mr Mahoney was due to initially stand trial in 2013 but skipped bail and remained in Spain until March of this year.
Counsel for Mr Mahoney, Breffni Gordon BL told the court that Mr Mahoney worked as a bar man in Spain. He said that Mr Mahoney has a strong work ethic and has worked as a truck driver and a tyre fitter.
He said that whatever directions the court imposes, it is his client’s intention to leave Ireland as he has no desire to remain here.
He said: “He has more recently been very unhappy living here and has a number of personal problems and is troubled by a number of things and that is why he decided to stay in Spain because that is where he is happiest.”
Mr Gordon said that Mr Mahoney is single and has one daughter.
He said that Mr Mahoney was remanded in custody in Spain on January 8th last and has remained in custody since his extradition back to Ireland. Mr Gordon asked that Judge Keys whatever sentence he imposes that part of it would be a suspended sentence and said that Mr Mahoney has no intention of appealing any sentence.
After an inquiry from Judge Keys, Mr Gordon said that his client would like to apologise for his actions and gave an undertaking never to have any contact with Garda Heaslip and his wife again.
Judge Keys said that he needed to consider the matters raised and adjourned sentencing to May 8th and remanded Mr Mahoney in custody.
