Convoy man in court over threat to burn neighbour’s house

A man who threatened to burn his neighbours' house down has been fined a total of €350.

Arnold Boyce appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with making threats to burn down a house at Townspark in Convoy.

The court heard that on June 7, 2023, Gardai received a report of a dispute between neighbours in Convoy.

Gardai attended the scene at 9.20pm and found Boyce leaving his address with his fists clenched.

As he was leaving he threatened Gardai telling them: "I'll be back, they'll be moving out and I'll be torching the shite out of them."

Boyce was later arrested and charged that he did make to Garda Wayne Keown of Ballybofey Garda Station, a threat intending that he, Garda Wayne Keown, would fear it would be carried out, to damage property to wit, threaten to burn down number 40 Townsparks, Convoy belonging to Ms Jean Harkin, Contrary to Section 3 of the Criminal Damage Act 1991.

Solicitor for Boyce, Mr Michael Shiel, said this was a case of bad blood between neighbours which "got out of hand."

He said that his client had drink taken and he never had any intention of carrying out such a threat saying it was "drink talk."

He added that his client claimed this was not a one-sided situation and that he had suffered a lot of intimidation also.

Mr Shiel explained that his client was 52 years of age, a single man and had absolutely no previous convictions of any kind.

He had worked in England as a digger driver for many years but stopped when he suffered ill health.

Mr Boyce had also lost his son in tragic circumstances four years ago and had suffered from depression since.

Mr Shiel asked the Judge if she would take the fact that Boyce had reached the age of 52 years without any kind of criminal record into account.

Judge Eiteain Cunningham said she would first like to express her condolences with Mr Boyce on the loss of his son.

However, she described the incident as "a most serious matter" and one which could not be condoned or accepted.

She added that it was unfortunate that the accused had reached this stage in his life with no convictions and had now embarked on this type of behaviour and fallen foul of the law.

She fined Boyce €350 and allowed him six months to pay and also granted legal aid in the case.