“You’ll get a bullet you rat, you rat”.
The words, captured on a sound recording from CCTV, used by 35-year-old Kieran Collopy, when he threatened the life of his once close friend and associate, William Moran last year.
Judge Carroll Moran heard the evidence at Limerick Circuit Court this Wednesday, in relation to Kieran and his 21-year-old brother Damien Collopy, who each pleaded guilty to the charge of threatening to kill William Moran on April 14, 2010, at his home on St Senan Street, St Mary’s Park.
John O’Sullivan, prosecution for the State outlined that at 9pm on April 14, 2010, gardai arrived at the home of William Moran and his wife Margaret Moran, after they had been alerted to disturbance.
Accounts of the incident were given where Kieran Collopy was said to have approached Mr Moran at his home demanding money be paid to him following the sale of horses owned by his deceased brother, Philip Collopy.
Kieran Collopy arrived to the house in a black BMW with his brother Damien, and encountered upon Mr Moran. Garda Shane O’Shea told the court that Kieran Collopy struck William Moran in the jaw with his left fist after words were exchanged between the two, and before leaving the scene.
Garda O’Shea said that although the two men initially left the area, they subsequently returned and began shouting and threatening Mr Moran, who had retreated to his house.
In evidence, Margaret Moran said that the front door of the family’s home was slammed but the two men began kicking it and shouting, “open the door, let me in let me in. I’m going to shoot you”.
Damien Collopy, it was said, threatened William Moran saying, “I’ll put a bullet in you”.
The two men were arrested two days later on April 16, and were remanded in custody.
William Moran and his family have since moved from the St Mary’s Park area, and the court heard that they are now under 24-hour garda protection.
In mitigation, the Collopy’s were said to have been in long term relationships with their partners and wished to put the incident in the past.
Making apologies through their counsel, both stated to the court that they “hold no ill will” towards William Moran, his wife or family, and that they were in court to face the outcome of their “misguided” actions, according to defence counsels, Brian McInerney and Mark Nicholas.
Judge Carroll Moran said that it was a very serious incident and will sentence both men on Friday, where they face a maximum sentence of 10 years.