A court in Co Meath was told yesterday how three Polish men who were grieving the death of an eight-year-old boy from leukaemia had drunk a litre of vodka before arming themselves with an imitation revolver to search for another boy they believed had bullied the eight-year-old before his death.
One of the men was sentenced to three years in jail yesterday.
The men called to three houses where families were terrorised while the men shouted at them demanding to know the whereabouts of a boy called Mark. One of the men, Krzystow Karpivivc (28), was before the court yesterday.
Looking at the gun at Trim Circuit Court, Judge John O'Hagan said anyone in their right mind could not but believe it was the real thing.
On the charge of assault causing harm he imposed a one-year jail term and for aggravated burglary he jailed him for three years. Both terms are to run concurrently.
He said Karpivivc was from a close-knit community and he had "invaded the privacy and security of another community that was equally as close-knit, and in a very threatening way."
The court heard the men did not know the surname, age or address of Mark and there was no evidence, complaint or statements made to support their "perception" that someone of this name had "taunted and bullied" Hubert Woroniewski before his death on the November 17th 2002.
Just one of the men, Krzystow Karpivivc, who at the time lived in Johnstown Villas, Mornington Park, Donacarney, Co Meath, was before the court. The second accused had returned to Poland and the third was acquitted of the charges when he stood trial.
Karpivivc admitted assault causing harm and aggravated burglary in Donacarney on November 19th, 2002, just two days after the boy's death. Karpivivc is engaged to the boy's sister Sylvia and they have two children.
Garda Sgt James Burke said the first house called to was The Cottages, Donacarney. Just after 7.30pm 21-year-old Gerard Nealon answered a knock to the front door. When the porch door was opened Karpivivc held the revolver up to his face and said he was "going to kill him" and asked where his older brother was.
After he threatened the young man another of the gang and Karpivivc left the porch and Gerard Nealon ran to his parents and came back with his father Rory to find the two men had returned. The two Nealons tried to shut the door but the men blocked it and the gun was produced again. Another gang member took the gun off Karpivivc.
The gang then drove to Blackhills Crescent where two neighbouring homes were terrorised.