Donegal judge grants protection order extension to woman after death threats

A woman seeking the extension of a protection order in County Donegal has told of how her ex-partner threatened to kill her and burn her house down.

The woman told Glenties District Court that she had to change her phone number due to ongoing communication from the man.

The court heard that the matter has been reported to An Garda Siochana.

She told Judge Emile Daly that the man has been commenting under friends’ posts on social media and also contacting some of her family members by telephone,

There are also allegations of criminal damage and assault against the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

However, the man continued to contact the woman by telephone - just a couple of weeks after a protection order was previously granted.

“I had to change my phone number,” the woman said. “He was threatening to get people to come and kill me and my friends.”

She told how the man also threatened to come and cause harm to one of her family members.

The contact was in the form of text messages and also some voice notes, the court was informed.

Ms Jacqueline Sharkey, solicitor for the woman, said there was a concern that the contact was not stopping but added: “It seems to have stopped now”.

Judge Daly said she was satisfied that the threshold had been met and granted the protection order for a period of five years.