Courts / Dublin / Report
Painter inflicted 'reign of terror' on victim in harassment case
Summary
Patrick Skipton (42) was jailed for seven years after being found guilty of demanding money with menace and harassment. He initially demanded €50,000 from a victim who had held money for him during the pandemic, which he spent on drugs. The victim, with help from family, paid the amount. Later, Skipton harassed the victim again, demanding €40,000. The victim, who had since become clean and was working, was pressured to sell his car. Skipton's associate collected €6,230 from the sale, and the victim was ordered to take out a loan. However, the victim alerted gardaí, leading to Skipton's arrest. Skipton has a history of drug use and multiple convictions. He expressed remorse and is now clean. The judge noted the victim impact statement, which described the "reign of terror" inflicted by Skipton, and sentenced him to nine years, with two years suspended.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Painter inflicted 'reign of terror' on victim in harassment case. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 1, 2021 Incident
- April 10, 2021 Incident
- April 2021 Incident
- April 7 Incident
- May 1, 2025 Incident
- 2025-12-16 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Outcome: By Isabel Hayes A painter who inflicted a "reign of terror" over an acquaintance, successfully demanding €50,000 from him before harassing him for more money a few years later, has been jailed for seven years. The court heard he was jailed for three months after he sent his mother a text message in 2016 that was "so horrific", gardaí became involved, Seamus Clarke SC, defending, told the court.
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