A university lecturer has told a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury that an irate neighbour called her "mad" and threatened to kill her two years ago.
Ms Deborah-Maria Loughran (31), Ashtown, Blanchardstown, Dublin, who lectures at NUI Galway and Leeds University in addition to being a PhD student and a French-English legal translator, made the allegations on day one of her 27-year-old neighbour's trial.
Ms Loughran told prosecuting counsel, Mr Garret Baker, that the accused, a carpenter who lived on the floor above her with his pregnant girlfriend, had said: "You. You are f...ing mad, you. I'm going to f...ing kill you."
Mr Paul Grant (27), Belclare Park, Ballymun, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to making a threat against Ms Loughran on July 5th, 2002, at an apartment in Blanchardstown, in a manner that led her to believe she could be killed or seriously harmed.
Mr Grant denied in evidence that he had made the threat, saying he had "lost his cool" when he saw four or five women he "did not know from Adam" talking about him. He told the jury, however, that he had not used the word "kill".
The case is expected to reach a conclusion before Judge Matthews today.
* This article was amended on October 22nd, 2105 for legal reasons.