violent behaviour | 

Dad-of-six who told Garda he would murder him and rape his daughter is jailed

Michael Finnegan (34) was jailed for six months after a court heard he told the Garda he would ‘get you and your family’ and ‘your head’s getting blown off’

Andrew Phelan

Today at 12:24

A FATHER-of-six threatened a Garda he would murder him and rape his daughter after he was questioned over a street disturbance in central Dublin.

Michael Finnegan (34) was jailed for six months after a court heard he told the Garda he would “get you and your family” and “your head’s getting blown off.”

He had denied public order offences, maintaining he was too drunk to remember what he said but insisting he would not have made a threat against a child as he was a “family man.”

Finding him guilty, Judge Stephanie Cogins said it was “unconscionable to threaten to rape a child.”

Finnegan, of Clonmore Crescent, Jobstown, Tallaght, was convicted of obstructing gardai, threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and public intoxication.

The garda told Dublin District Court he found Finnegan on Aston Quay last September 30, shouting aggressively at members of the public.

When approached, he became highly aggressive and said “f*** you, Garda faggot, you’ll get done, your cards are marked.”

“I’ll blow your f**king head off, I’ll get you and your f**king family, you’re f**king done.”

The Garda told Finnegan, who was very unsteady on his feet and smelled of alcohol, to desist. “He said ‘I’ll find you and your daughter and I’m going to f**king rape her. I’ll murder you, your head’s getting blown off’”, the Garda told the court.

When arrested, Finnegan began to lash out violently but was subdued. His violent behaviour continued all the way back to Kevin Street Garda station, the court heard.

Finnegan maintained the initial incident was only a verbal argument between him and a friend.

He said he had “a large amount of drinks” in a pub and did not remember the encounter with the garda but insisted he “wouldn’t say that against children” as he had children himself.

“There’s no way I’d say them sort of things,” he said.

Finnegan said he “probably did resist arrest,” claiming the garda threw him over a bicycle rack and he was “dazed”.

A friend of the accused Mark Kelly told the court Finnegan had been “having a verbal” with another man but “that was it.” He also claimed the Garda “manhandled” the accused.

Finnegan’s memory of the night was patchy but he “doesn’t think he would ever have said that because he’s a family man,” his lawyer said.

Finding him guilty, Judge Cogins said Finnegan was so drunk he could not remember what he said or did on the night.

He had previous convictions for public order, theft, drugs and other offences.

“It’s unconscionable to threaten to rape a child, it’s absolutely unacceptable,” Judge Cogins said.

She set recognisances in the event of an appeal.