Jealous ex (57) threatened to kill man he believed was in relationship with former partner
A jury has found a Kerry man guilty of threatening to kill a man he believed to be in a relationship with his former partner.John Foley (57), formerly of Tullig, Kenmare, was convicted on Friday of three charges of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Pat Harney (64) and a charge of criminal damage by a jury at Tralee Circuit Court.Events of the case culminated on April 2, 2020, when the Garda Armed Support Unit was called to the mountains of south Kerry, after leaving his house with a rifle following weeks of threats to Mr Harney. They found multiple licensed firearms on the family property.The jury was unconvinced by Mr Foley’s assurances to gardaí in 2020 that he was simply “with the sheep” and carried his rifle as he did “every morning”.Crime Wrap Saturday April 25 Mr Foley’s first threats occurred at Mr Harney’s Kilgarvan residence on March 22, 2020, and while Mr Harney was driving home from Bantry on March 12, 2020 the court heard.The third threat directed at him was made to Mr Foley’s former partner, Margaret ‘Peggy’ Delaney, at their rural residence in Tullig, Kenmare.There was also about a criminal damage charge for paint splattered on his door, wall and footpath on March 22, 2020.Over two days, the court heard testimony from witnesses including Ms Delaney, who alleged her jealous former partner left their property on April 2, 2020 after throwing a carving knife at her and threatening to kill her friend, Mr Harney.She told jurors she and Mr Foley had not been in a relationship since 2018, although they lived together.Further evidence included testimonies from two gardai, Ms Delaney’s two brothers and Mr Harney, as well as two older interviews between Mr Foley and gardaí. The accused did not take the stand.Read moreMan who stabbed English tourist in Temple Bar jailed On Friday morning, Judge Alec Gabbett addressed the jury at length before they left the courtroom to deliberate at 11.28am.Just before 1pm, a note from the jury was presented to the judge.He replied it was time to break for lunch, saying, “A cup of tea and clarity, and we’ll see how we go”.Ms Delaney and her relative sat in the courtroom beside Mr Harney for much of the day waiting for verdict.When not in the dock, Mr Foley sat in the lobby by himself.In the afternoon the jury foreperson presented a guilty verdict for three charges.The jury deliberated a further 30 minutes and returned a guilty verdict for the first offence of threatening to kill on March 12.Mr Harney’s eyes quickly filled with tears and he looked up, blinking them away for several minutes.Read moreStudent who called gardaí ‘retards’ was ‘showing off’Ms Delaney and Mr Foley maintained sober expressions.Judge Gabbett thanked jury members for performing their civic duty.Gardaí noted Mr Foley was no longer permitted to own firearms but this did not relieve the judge’s concern that a similar situation could occur if Mr Foley was granted bail before his sentencing on April 29.“I don’t want a situation where, tonight, we’re all back at square one,” he said.He added, “This is a case where the Armed Support Unit and armed gardaí had to go out.” He remanded Mr Foley in custody.Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
