A MAN who was acquitted of a charge of threatening to kill a Garda Detective last week was jailed for five months after he was convicted of possession of €200 worth of cannabis.
Judge Colin Daly imposed a three-month concurrent sentence on Kieran ‘Bunny’ Barry (51), of Galvone Road, Kennedy Park, after he was convicted for resisting arrest by the alleged injured party, Detective Garda Dean Landers, Roxboro Road Garda Station.
Mr Barry was acquitted by the jury by a majority 10 to two decision at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court of a charge of possessing cannabis for sale or supply.
Mr Barry had pleaded not guilty to all four of the charges during a three-day trial last week.
The State alleged that Barry threatened to kill or harm seriously Detective Garda Landers on May 3, 2019.
Detective Landers had told the trial he was concerned for himself and his family and alleged that Barry threatened to kill him, his children, and his mother after the Garda arrived at the accused’s home in response to a disturbance outside the property.
“He told me he was going to murder me … He said he would bury me somewhere where no one would find me,” Detective Landers alleged.
“He told me, ‘I know where you live’, he was clenching his fists and he told me he was going to give me a slow death and that he would give my kids an even slower one.”
When more Gardaí arrived at the scene, Barry allegedly ran into his home, locked the front door, and fled through the rear of the property.
Detective Landers disagreed under cross examination that Gardaí had allegedly “beaten” and “dragged” Mr Barry out of his house when arresting him later that night.
Mr Barry admitted to Gardaí during interview after his arrest that he “had words” with Detective Landers and that he had asked the Garda to fight, but he denied making threats against him and his family.
The cannabis was found on a couch that Mr Barry had been sitting on when Gardaí arrested him.
