A CO OFFALY man has pleaded guilty to threatening to kill three men he blamed for the drowning of his son after the State entered a nolle prosequi on the original charge of soliciting a man to murder another man.
Eamon Tuohy, of Derrycooley, Rahan, Co Offaly, pleaded guilty to making a threat to Insp Aiden Boyle at Rahan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, on October 3rd, 2006, to kill Noel Kidney, Joe Gallagher jnr and Frankie Kenna.
It had been the State's case that Tuohy blamed a number of people for the drowning of his son, including Joe Gallagher jnr, and had solicited David Coleman to murder Mr Gallagher in Navan, Co Meath between June 1st and September 30th, 2004.
Mr Coleman told the court that Tuohy met him in Brady's pub in Navan, Co Meath, during the summer of 2004 and asked him to "sort out" Mr Gallagher.
"He talked about his son being murdered. He was nearly in tears. He said if you could help me to get somebody to go down, I don't care if he gets broken up or in a wheelchair or shot."
Yesterday the State dropped the solicitation charge after Mr Justice Barry White had expressed views as to how he thought the trial should proceed and that the prosecution should receive direction from the DPP. The additional charge was added to the indictment and the State entered a nolle prosequi on the original charge.
Tuohy pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of making a threat to Insp Boyle to kill the three men.
Mr Justice White told the jury that Tuohy's son had died in circumstances investigated by gardaí and that he was "not satisfied with the Garda inquiry".
Mr Tuohy was remanded on bail until December 5th for sentencing.