Made threat to gouge out eyes of ex-girlfriend's dad, Kildare court told
‘I was going through a serious episode at the time’
A man threatened to gouge out the eyes of his former girlfriend’s father.
This was the claim made by the father at Naas District Court.
The man said he got a threat worded “I’ll gouge your eyes out myself" which arrived online “out of the blue”.
He said it came from a man who previously dated his daughter, though the relationship ended a few years previously.
The man also said he thought the person was suffering from his mental health and he said that litter was left on his car around a time that the person was allegedly throwing litter around a business premises in a Kildare town.
“I don’t know what he might do in the future,” the man said, adding that his daughter also has a restraining order against the person.
The man also told Judge Derek Cooney that nothing untoward had occurred between the town of them.
“He dated my daughter some years previously and it broke up," he told the court.
He also stated that he didn't see him throw rubbish on his car but there were CCTV images of him throwing rubbish around elsewhere.
The man who sent the message told the court he was in a "terrible mental state” at the time and was referred to a psychiatric setting.
He also said that he is living a long distance away now and would not be anywhere near the area where the applicant resides.
He also said he had proof of his new address.
He told the court he was going through a serious episode at the time and referring to the sending of the message he said “it doesn’t represent me.”
Asked how he could provide any reassurance to the applicant, the man said he is working very hard to help himself. He also told the judge he does not have a diagnosis and he is not on medication.
He also stated he is going to counselling where he lives now.
He added he was going through a serious episode and he was getting subliminal messages which were not real.
When the applicant said he was taking drugs and smoking a lot of “weed” at the time, the man responded that he is not doing that now.
Judge Cooney said it was deeply disturbing and distressing to get the message and he accepted the man suffered a breakdown from reality.
He also said he was concerned that no one had diagnosed what had happened.
The judge said he would grant a civil restraining order for one year.
He also said he has sympathy for people with mental health issues but the man cannot make any contact with the applicant or his family.
He said that if he nevertheless does so, there will be a legal process that could result in a twelve months custody term.