Two Limerick brothers have been found guilty at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin of threatening to kill three members of the same family between them.
John Dundon (29), with an address at Hyde Road, Limerick, was this morning found guilty of threatening to kill April Collins (24) but not guilty of making a threat to April to kill her mother Alice Collins (48) at Hyde Road on the weekend of April 3rd and 4th 2011.
Wayne Dundon (33) of Lenihan Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, was found guilty of threatening Alice Collins that he would kill or cause serious harm to her sons Gareth Collins and Jimmy Collins at Hyde Avenue, Limerick on September 30th, 2010.
He was also found guilty of the intimidation of potential prosecution witnesses Alice and April Collins with the intention of obstructing the course of justice at the same address and on the same date.
Wayne Dundon was found not guilty of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to April Collins, and of making threats that he would kill her brother Gareth Collins and mother Alice Collins at Hyde Road on March 25th, 2011.
The brothers had denied all the charges against them.
The court heard mother-of-three April Collins was in a relationship with Gerard Dundon, a brother of the accused men, for eight years until late 2010.
There was evidence the catalyst for the threats was an attack on the home of Alice Collins by four women, including John Dundon’s wife Ciara, evening of September 30th, 2010.
Reading from a written judgement, presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Butler said the court had been impressed by the “entirely credible and convincing” evidence of Alice Collins and was satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Wayne Dundon had intimidated and made threats against her.
He said, with regard to the three counts against Wayne Dundon of making threats to kill on March 25th, 2011, the court found the evidence of April Collins to be credible.
However, Mr Justice Butler said a part of her evidence could be construed as demonstrating a lack of fear of the threats “sufficient to cast a doubt” at least on an essential constituent of the offence and, at most, on whether the threats were made at all.
He said the court found that the actions of John Dundon on the evening and early morning of April 3rd and 4th, 2011 amounted to “sinister and threatening” actions on his part but that it would be unsafe to construe the words “we’re looking for a place to bury your mother” as a direct threat to kill Alice Collins.
John Dundon smiled and shook his head while the verdicts were read out, while Wayne made little reaction.
Mr Justice Butler remanded both men in custody to appear before the court for sentencing on April 18th.