Man in court accused of locking woman in van and threats to ‘cut her up and bury her’

Karl O’Reilly (40) is accused of locking a woman in his home, assaulting her, threatening to kill her with a knife and poker and then later taking her to Mayo in a van where he allegedly threatened ‘to kill her multiple times’

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A man has appeared in court accused of locking a woman in his van, pulling a knife on her, and threatening to “cut her up and bury her.”

Karl O’Reilly (40) with an address at Higginstown Woods, Granard, Co Longford, appeared before a sitting of Bray District Court – accused of locking a woman in his home, assaulting her, threatening to kill her with a knife and poker and then later taking her to Mayo in a van where he allegedly threatened “to kill her multiple times.”

Mr O’Reilly is in total accused of two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of threats to kill, a section three assault, and possession of knives.

The court heard that the false imprisonment charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Giving evidence of arrest charge and caution before Judge Nicola Jane Andrews, Detective Sergeant Donal O’ Sullivan from Arklow Garda Station said he charged the accused with three of the six offences at 1:50am and he responded “no thanks,” after caution.

Detective Garda Daragh Mulhall then gave evidence of arrest charge and caution with respect to the other three charges – to which he said the accused made no reply.

In objection to bail Detective Sergeant O’Sullivan laid out the State’s case against the accused – telling the court that the charges relate to a complaint made by a 31 year old woman who made written statements on March 12.

The Det Sgt told the court that the woman travelled from the UK to Ireland in mid February and was collected at Dublin Airport by the accused – who was known to her.

He said the woman alleges that Mr O’Reilly’s “mood deteriorated” after he missed his uncle’s funeral – and that this resulted in him becoming “violent” on February 28th this year.

The court was told that the woman alleges that her “liberty was restricted” over a 15 hour period – with the accused preventing her from leaving his home in Granard, Co Longford by locking the back door and pulling her back any time she tried to leave.

Setting out the woman’s claims he said the woman further alleged to gardai that the accused jumped on her, “kicking her and causing bruising” before he threatened to stab and kill her with a rusty kitchen knife or poker.

Det Sgt O’Sullivan told the court that the woman stated the abuse then stopped when the accused “calmed down” – and she remained in his company after that before they left Longford and went to various hotels in the Dublin area.

The woman then alleged that on March 12th the accused locked her in a van he was driving for a “long period,” during which time he “threatened to kill her multiple times.” The woman said the accused pulled out a knife and pressed a button on it before shoving it in her face, threatening to “stab her, cut her up and bury her.”

The woman said the accused told her if she phoned the police she would get in trouble and he very rarely stopped the van, but when he did she could not escape. The woman told Gardai the accused spent hours “mentally terrorising me.”

The woman also claimed she eventually managed to jump out of the van and make a 999 call before engaging with a man with a dog who she asked for help in the Arklow area. She told gardai that she didn’t think that the man believed her and that Karl “had tried to make her look mental.” The woman said she had “given up hope” by then.

Later that morning at approximately 11am the accused is alleged to have driven to a hostel in Dublin City where he kept the woman locked in the van and stated he was going inside to a hostel she had been residing in to get her belongings. He is then alleged to have told the woman that the police had her beginnings and they instead travelled to Mayo.

During that journey the woman claims the accused “bullied me, threatened to burn my house down, kill me and my whole family.” She also alleges he made “horrible remarks about me and my body.” He continued to keep her locked in the van, she claims, and was prevented by the accused from being let go to the toilet. The accused let her go to the toilet in the back of the van instead, she alleges.

The court heard that the accused was arrested at 4:31pm at an address in Mayo – and he admitted to discarding a knife from the vehicle approximately 20 minutes prior to this. Gardai discovered a 22cm knife in a hedgerow – as well as a stake knife and Stanley knife in the van, the court heard. Gardai alleged in court that the accused posed a potential flight risk and that he should not be granted bail.

Defence for Mr O’Reillt stated that he is originally from the Clondalkin area of Dublin and had family connections in the US, Germany and in the UK – where he lived for 17 years. He previously worked in UK where he owned a scrapyard business, the court heard and he “acknowledges that he enjoys drink and drugs.”

The court heard that the accused contests the charges against him and alleges that the woman did not arrive at his home in Granard until March 2nd. He further alleges that the woman was “not telling the truth.” He also argued before the court that he cares for his sickly mother who lives in Mayo and travels to her home three to four days a week, was willing to surrender his passport and to sign on daily and obey a curfew.

In objection to bail gardai stated that the accused was facing serious charges including two false imprisonment charges which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Judge Andrews refused the accused bail and remanded him into custody. He is set to appear again before Bray District Court via video link next Thursday.