A Limerick man who swore on his baby's life to kill the chief prosecution witness in the crime boss Kieran Keane murder trial has been jailed for four and half years.
John Dundon (22) of Mayorstone Court, Limerick, pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to Mr Eoin Treacy, through his wife Ms Donna Treacy, on November 13th, 2002 at Cloverhill.
Judge Yvonne Murphy at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court described it as a grave crime as it represented "an offence against public justice".
She said it was very serious "to threaten the central witness in a murder trial", particularly where that person was giving evidence regarding an attempt on his own life.
Dundon's brother, Dessie Dundon and his cousin were two of five people who were convicted for the murder of Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of Mr Owen Treacy, which arose out of the vicious Limerick feud that had been going on since 2002.
They were abducted on January 29th 2002 and driven to Drombana a few miles outside Limerick City where Keane was fatally shot and Mr Treacy was repeatedly stabbed but survived.
Superintendent Gerard Marr of Roxboro Garda Station in Limerick told Mr Dominic McGinn BL prosecuting, that Mr Treacy was under cross-examination, when Dundon said to Ms Treacy, "I swear on my baby's life that when this is over I am going to kill Eoin Treacy."
Supt Marr said this threat was witnessed by members of the Keane and Treacy families, in addition to many garda members.
He said that Ms Tracey knew Dundon for many years and believed he was capable of executing this threat.
She reported the incident to Supt Marr during lunch recess of the court and he recommended that she make an official complaint at Ronanstown Garda Station.
Supt Marr agreed with Mr Brian McInerney SC, in cross-examination, that Dundon had no previous convictions for possession of firearms, assault or any crime of a violent nature. However he said Dundon was due to be sentenced for threatening to cause criminal damage, an offence he committed when he was almost 19 years old.
Mr McInerney said his client wished to express his apologies to Ms Treacy for his "monumentally stupid" outburst.
Dundon was under stress because his brother was on trial for murder and he simply "lost the head". Judge Murphy took into account the young age of Dundon and the fact that he had a young child, but she noted that he had not pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.