Darran O’Brien jailed for four years, last 18 months suspended, for threatening to kill sister

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Darran O’Brien, aged 35, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the last 18 months suspended on strict conditions, after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill his sister and production of an axe at Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, on May 31st, 2014. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence.

The court heard that O’Brien rang his niece looking for her mother and threatened to “chop up” anyone who got in his way, in a dispute over the sale of the family home. He later arrived at his sister’s home with an axe but was stopped from going in by another daughter. That evening he also threatened to kill any garda who came into his home, and gardaí called in a specialist Garda negotiator.

The court heard that O’Brien had been affected by the proposed sale of his mother’s home and by the recent death of his brother. His sister stated in a victim impact report that she was left scared and frightened by the incident.