Courts / Dublin / Report

Criminal sentenced to 5.5 years for making threats to kill

Date
2015-06-29

Stage
Sentence

Court
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Dunne, aged 27, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for making a threat to kill Derek Walker in Clondalkin on 15 January 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended the last 18 months of the sentence. Dunne, who has 126 prior convictions, also pleaded guilty to criminal damage to Walker's vehicle, possession of a GPS device for use in a crime, and theft of an Audi A4. His brother Aaron Dunne, aged 21, was previously sentenced to two and a half years with 18 months suspended for criminal damage and possession of a baseball bat during the same incident. The trial noted that Walker and a woman were hostile witnesses, and that witnesses were terrified and reluctant to testify. The court recorded that Walker had claimed the Dunne brothers owed him money for a car he had sold.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Criminal sentenced to 5.5 years for making threats to kill. Charges or matters: criminal damage and producing a baseball bat during the same incident with Mr Walker; another charge of criminal damage of a vehicle belonging to Mr Walker in Clondalkin on January 15, 2013; ten counts of having and using a false learner permit driving licence at various locations in Clondalkin, Dublin and in Tullow, Co Carlow on dates between June and November 2012, which was taken into account during his sentence. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

January 15, 2013 Incident
July 2014 Incident
January 20, 2013 Incident
November 10, 2013 Incident
November 2012 Incident
2015-06-29 Publication

Why: During the trial the prosecution successfully applied to be allowed to treat Mr Walker and a woman as hostile witnesses because of their reluctance to give evidence. Prosecution account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Aaron Dunne

Background Person

Charges: criminal damage and producing a baseball bat during the same incident with Mr Walker (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Aaron Dunne (21) of Grangeview Road, Clondalkin was previously sentenced to two and half years with the final 18 months suspended after he pleaded guilty to criminal damage and producing a baseball bat during the same incident with Mr Walker.

Christopher Dunne

Convicted Person

Charges: criminal damage and producing a baseball bat during the same incident with Mr Walker; another charge of criminal damage of a vehicle belonging to Mr Walker in Clondalkin on January 15, 2013; ten counts of having and using a false learner permit driving licence at various locations in Clondalkin, Dublin and in Tullow, Co Carlow on dates between June and November 2012, which was taken into account during his sentence (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Christopher Dunne (27) received a prison sentence of five and a half years for making threats to kill Derek Walker in Clondalkin, Dublin on January 15, 2013. His brother Aaron Dunne (21) of Grangeview Road, Clondalkin was previously sentenced to two and half years with the final 18 months suspended after he pleaded guilty to criminal damage and producing a baseball bat during the same incident with Mr Walker.