A MAN accused of threatening to kill a Limerick Garda Detective admitted asking him to a fight on the night, but denied making a threat to murder him.
Kieran ‘Bunny’ Barry told Gardaí who arrested him that the allegation was a “trumped up crock of s***e”,” his trial heard today (Friday).
Mr Barry (51), of Galvone Road, Kennedy Park, admitted during Garda interviews that he “had words” with the alleged injured party, but he said he “didn’t threaten to kill him”.
Detective Garda Dean Landers, Roxboro Road Garda Station, gave evidence in the trial on Wednesday alleging that Mr Barry threatened to murder him, his children, and his mother, on May 3, 2019.
Detective Landers told the court he “100 per cent believed” Mr Barry would carry out these alleged threats.
This Friday, video footage was played to the court of a recording of Mr Barry being interviewed by Gardaí following his arrest for the alleged threats.
During the interview, Mr Barry denied threatening Detective Landers or threatening members of his family.
Mr Barry told Gardaí interviewing him: “I mean, who does that? Even the scummiest of scum wouldn’t throw the family in.”
In response to the allegations, Mr Barry told the Gardaí: “This is b****x, it genuinely is, straight out, it is b****x … I had words with the Garda, but I didn’t threaten to kill him.”
“I’m not slow, what kind of a fool is that fella at all, give him a slap in the arse if you see him,” Mr Barry told Gardaí.
Mr Barry acknowledged during the Garda interview that he had been drinking alcohol in the days leading up to and on the day he made the alleged threats.
Barristers for Mr Barry said he has alleged he was beaten by Gardaí while he was being arrested – an accusation denied by Gardaí.
Mr Barry told Gardaí interviewing him that he had no issue with Detective Landers, nor had he any prior dealings with him.
Detective Garda Landers told the court this past Wednesday that he and a colleague responded to a call about an alleged dispute outside Mr Barry’s home on the night in question.
He said Mr Barry started verbally abusing him immediately after he arrived on the scene, and claimed Mr Barry asked him to fight.
Detective Landers said Mr Barry fled when more Gardaí arrived on the scene. He said, later on that night, he and colleagues returned to Mr Barry’s home and arrested him.
Detective Landers gave evidence that he deployed pepper spray into Mr Barry’s eyes to incapacitate him, after which Mr Barry “ran straight at me, again he said ‘I’m going to fucking kill you’”.
Mr Barry acknowledged during the Garda interview that he probably called Garda Landers a “lanky prick”, adding that “they would be my words, but I did not threaten him”.
When asked by the Garda interviewers what way he would normally sort out arguments with people, Mr Barry replied: “Have a fair go, a fair go, and shake hands after.”
Mr Barry said he told Garda Landers to “take off your jacket, things like that, a fair go … that’s it … All the fellas I fought over the years I’m friends with them now.”
“Man to man, in all fairness, I did not threaten that Garda, I’m innocent of these charges or allegations,” added Mr Barry in his interview with Gardaí.
Mr Barry denies allegations made by Detective Landers that he told him he would bury him where no one would find him; that he would give his children a “slow death”; and that he would “f**k” Garda Lander’s mother before strangling her.
Mr Barry also denies possession of cannabis for sale or supply, possession of cannabis, and resisting Garda Landers from executing his lawful duties, all at the same location on the same date.
The trial continues on Monday before Judge Colin Daly and a jury of eight women and four men at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.
