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A man who threatened to kill an ISPCA officer in the course of performing her duties has been given a suspended prison sentence and a 20-year ban from owning dogs.
Dylan Greene (29), of 87 Springlawn, Longford, Co Longford, appeared before Judge Kenneth Connolly on Wednesday at Longford Circuit Court, where he was sentenced for threatening to kill or cause serious harm to ISPCA officer Karen Lyons on January 28th, 2021.
The court had previously heard that Ms Lyons arrived at the property to check on the welfare of a number of puppies in Mr Greene’s care, but she was met with what Judge Connolly described as “utterly terrifying” behaviour from Mr Greene.
In a lengthy exchange between the two, Mr Greene branded Ms Lyons a “dirty whore” and a “simple handicap” and, in his evidence at a hearing earlier this year, he admitted: “I genuinely said I was going to stab her to death and called her the height of names.”
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A psychiatric report furnished to the court today confirmed Mr Greene has a long history of being discharged from mental health services for not attending appointments.
Counsel for the defence, Mr Gerard Groarke BL, confirmed that the accused has been engaging with services recently and was determined to continue to do so.
Mr Groarke also drew the court’s attention to a probation report which listed Mr Greene at risk of reoffending despite his positive engagement with the probation service, due to his employment situation, his emotional and psychiatric issues, substance abuse issues and a lack of family support.
However, Mr Groarke outlined, Mr Greene is currently in a committed relationship and has four children, which addresses the family support concerns. Furthermore, he is in the process of setting up a computer business with his cousin, addressing the employment issues.
In terms of emotional and psychiatric issues, as well as substance abuse issues, Mr Greene is engaging with services, and he “hasn’t touched drugs in a long time and is not a drinker”.
“So the risk factor is certainly being actively addressed and his risk of reoffending, with time, will decrease,” said Mr Groarke.
Mr Greene has also completed six sessions of anger management, has deleted a petition against the ISPCA which had previously been in circulation and currently only owns one animal, an 11-year-old dog named Rocky.
“When I was refamiliarising myself with this case, it occurred to me that these circumstances arose out of both parties’ love of animals,” said Judge Connolly.
“Ms Lyons appeared to me a sincere woman, who is committed to her job. She impressed me very greatly with her evidence.
“Unfortunately, this took place against the background of Mr Greene’s own love for animals,” he added.
“Mr Greene gave evidence of a previous dog who had been removed from his care in circumstances that he believed were unjust. It seems he was very, very upset by that and he believed the dog had been put down but we heard that she’d been adopted by a family and was very well cared for.
“But it is a tragedy that something so sinister for Ms Lyons arose out of a love for animals. Mr Greene’s actions were unacceptable and I think he has an understanding about that.
“We know this was not frightening or scary for Ms Lyons but utterly terrifying for a lady who was going about her duties, caring for animals and you subjected her to utterly revolting and appalling language, which I will not repeat in court.”
Threats were made to Ms Lyons, which involved the use of a golf club, which Mr Green banged off walls, off a door frame and off his own vehicle, before holding it close to Ms Lyons’ nose, which was a “terrifying” experience.
After mitigation, Judge Connolly set the headline sentence at four years, which he reduced to three years and six months.
“But this matter is unique because in addition to the matters discussed there is a difficult family dynamic in relation to an injury caused to Mr Greene’s eldest son, who is brain damaged from falling from a window,” said Judge Connolly.
“Mr Greene and his partner are full time carers for him. Their next daughter has severe autism. Their four-year-old child is in good health and their two-year-old has had facial surgery. These are people with a tough situation on their hands.”
He said he was “somewhat reluctantly” suspending the sentence for five years on condition that Mr Greene, with the exception of Rocky, not keep a dog in his home for 20 years.
“You can keep no canines either yourself or in your home, so I don’t want to hear it’s your son’s dog or your partner’s dog.
“I can assure you that if you breach any of those conditions, I will put you in jail for three years and six months,” he said.