A Keady man who told a care worker he had been in court for attempted murder before telling her “you’re next” has been jailed.
Caolan Cassidy, 24, of Fairgreen Avenue, appeared before Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Newry, via videolink from Maghaberry on Tuesday charged with common assault, threats to damage property and theft.
A prosecution lawyer told the court that, on May 1, police were called to an ongoing disturbance at an address in Keady, and while en route to that incident, police spotted Cassidy, who had two outstanding warrants against his name – one for stealing a bottle of Buckfast from Rice’s Supermarket in Keady.
Cassidy was arrested before police carried on to the address in Keady, where a support worker told them that she and another care worker had attended to deal with a service user.
Cassidy was also present at the address, as he is a friend of the occupant, the court heard.
At approximately 3pm, the care worker had asked to speak with the service user in private, however, Cassidy became aggressive and verbally abusive towards her.
He came up to her, invaded her personal space, and pointed his finger aggressively at her, before telling her he was up in court for attempted murder, and said to her, “you’re next”.
“She was terrified,” the prosecutor added.
He then threatened to burn out her car and left the property shouting obscenities.
The complainant observed the defendant at the side of her car. He told her he was going to burn her car out, and she immediately contacted the police and locked herself in the house.
Cassidy was further arrested for these incidents. He was interviewed under caution in custody where he alleged that the support worker was being “cheeky” to him and he shouted back at her.
He denied making any threats and that he just called her an expletive, denying pointing the finger at her face. He didn’t comment whenever the allegation of what he told her he was going to do was put to him.
Defending, Conor Coulter, said that while pleas were entered at a “fairly late stage”, the defendant “accepts his behaviour was appalling”.
Addressing Cassidy’s failure to meet with Probation in respect of this case, “he, by his own instruction, was lying low for a while, living out of a friend’s house, living a fairly transient lifestyle and drinking to excess”.
“He is still a young man. His record is fairly limited, and there’s a full realisation on his behalf that there’s some considerable work to be done in relation to addiction issues.
“He’s from a fairly difficult background, he has spent time in foster care, and there’s no real education, so certainly not a man who has difficulties to seek in life.”
Cassidy was recently sentenced to four months in Newtownards for assault and Mr Coulter asked the judge not to interfere with his release date.
District Judge Anne Marshall said: “The common assault and threats to damage property are obviously very serious, given that this person was working as a carer.
“The theft probably isn’t as serious, although I do note he has previous theft on his record. So, the appropriate sentence in relation to this matter is one of four months in custody – immediate custody.”
