A MOTHER and son have appeared in court on charges of threatening to kill.

John O’Driscoll (22), of Mardyke Drive, Skibbereen pleaded not guilty at Skibbereen District Court to a threat to kill, criminal damage and a public order offence.

At the same court sitting Helen O’Driscoll (55), also of Mardyke Drive, Skibbereen, pleaded guilty to issuing a threat to kill and a public order charge.

Phillip Rees, the father of Veronica Rees and grandfather of Elsie Rees, told the court he met John O’Driscoll on July 22nd last while out walking his dog.

He said that he had told the accused to stop threatening his daughter.

‘He started shouting at me, saying he would beat up my daughter and kill her,’ said Mr Rees.

Mr Rees reported the incident to gardaí and the following day at 6.30am he received a phone call from his daughter Veronica, who was distressed and wanted to come and speak to him at his home.

As he sat down with his daughter he saw the defendant, his mother, Helen O’Driscoll, and a third person who he did not know, arrive outside in a car.

‘They started throwing themselves with full force at my front door. They tried to kick in the kitchen window and shattered the window near my front door,’ said Mr Rees, adding that the third person stood back by the car. ‘They threatened to kill us.’

Mr Rees took a hatchet he kept with firewood and brandished it as a defence weapon.

Defence solicitor Flor Murphy put it to Mr Rees that he objects to his granddaughter Elsie having a relationship with John O’Driscoll.

‘Mr O’Driscoll will say that every time you walk past him you call  him names and tell him he’s a traveller and a p***y,’ said Mr Murphy.

He said that his client maintained that he was not at Mr Rees’ house that day and did not damage any glass.

John O’Driscoll told the court he was ‘in bed all morning’. He recounted a number of times when Mr Rees had been abusive towards him, calling him derogatory names and at one point saying ‘pack your bags, you’re going to prison’, the court heard.

Gda Whelton said after his arrest the defendant was uncooperative during the interview and replied to most questions with ‘no comment’.

Veronica Rees told the court that she was terrified and thought they were actually going to die. ‘There had been so many death threats,’ she said.

Mr Murphy asked her why she went to the defendant’s house at 6.30am on July 23rd where her daughter Elsie and son James were living with John O’Driscoll.

‘Ms Rees was shouting and roaring, very agitated and appeared to be intoxicated at the time,’ said Mr Murphy.

‘I had three glasses of wine the night before,’ said Ms Rees, who said she went to visit her daughter to make amends for their difficult relationship.

The court heard John O’Driscill had eleven previous convictions, including one from September 2024 for a threat to kill or cause serious harm offence.

Judge Joanne Carroll convicted him and sentenced him to six months in prison for the threat to kill, six months for criminal damage and three months for the public order charge, all to run concurrently.

Mr O’Driscoll was ordered to pay €200 to Mr Rees in compensation for the broken window. Judge Carroll fixed recognisances in the event of an appeal his own bond of €100.

The State withdrew a criminal damage charge against Mrs O’Driscoll.

The court heard that she had seven previous convictions, all of which were road traffic related.

Mrs O’Driscoll said: ‘Mr Rees is a racist man and he just calls us names. We have the rights to be in this world as good as him.’  Judge Carroll said that she was a credible witness and asked for a probation report, remanding her on continuing bail to April 28th.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.