Courts / Kerry / Report

'Violent and dangerous' killer won't be returned to jail for threatening to kill gardai

Date
2022-05-27

Stage
Charge Or Pretrial

Primary locality
Killarney

County
Kerry

Summary

Gerard O'Riordan, 37, a former convicted killer who spent much of his 20s and 30s in prison, was not ordered to return to jail for threatening to kill gardai. In May 2021 he was brought before the Central Criminal Court after breaching a suspension bond by making such threats. Judge Michael White had adjourned the case for a year to monitor his behaviour. At the recent hearing, Detective Sergeant Ernest Henderson testified that O'Riordan had not attracted adverse attention from gardai in the last year and that he was still serving a portion of his suspended sentence. Judge Paul McDermott agreed, noting that the retired Judge White had intended not to order a return to custody if O'Riordan behaved. O'Riordan had become a father, attended 24 anger‑management sessions, and had been cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter in 2007, receiving a 14‑year sentence with an 18‑month suspended portion.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Violent and dangerous' killer won't be returned to jail for threatening to kill gardai. Charges or matters: threatening to kill gardai. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

May 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
April 15th, 2007 Hearing Or Sentence
June 2019 Other
May 2022 Adjournment
2022-05-27 Publication

Why: In May of last year, Det Sgt Henderson explained that O'Riordan had already been serving a sentence at the time, so his jail term for the manslaughter did not begin immediately. CNI source report