Elderly woman avoids jail in death threat case
An elderly woman who made headlines for threatening to kill her next door neighbour and blow up his van had her case finalised today as she avoided jail and was bound to the peace for one year.
Mary McGrath (aged 63) of Innismore Drive, Ballincollig, County Cork, was also given a four-month suspended jail sentence for her behaviour.
That marks an end to a case which saw her before Judge Con O'Leary at Cork District Court more than 10 times.
Inspector Denis O'Shea said the gardai had received no further complaints about her behaviour.
Defence solicitor, Brian Long, said today: "She has certainly discontinued any further communication with or intimidation of her neighbours.
"The whole affair has had a devastating effect on her and her family, including the media attention, whether she did or did not invite it.
"She now wishes to put it behind her. Hopefully she will find all this a learning experience."
Neighbour, Christopher Blackham, previously said that on September 10 last year the defendant threatened to blow up his van.
He said she also threatened to "kick the b******s off me".
McGrath was convicted of making the threat to kill or cause serious injury to Mr Blackham. While Mrs McGrath avoided jail yesterday, she was brought before the court last November and a fresh charge was laid against her, again arising out of her behaviour towards neighbours.
She was sentenced to six weeks in prison. Throughout all of these incidents, the original case against her was being adjourned for reports or to see how she would behave.
