Cork man who threatened to kill Tidy Towns volunteer ordered to attend anger management
A Cork man who threatened to kill a Tidy Towns volunteer has been ordered to attend anger management classes by a district court judge. Vincent Harrington, aged 52, of Desert View, Clonakilty, appeared for penalty before Judge Joanne Carroll at Clonakilty District Court.At a previous hearing, Harrington was convicted of threatening to kill a Tidy Towns volunteer who parked their van in a lay-by near the entrance to Harrington’s driveway. The conviction related to an incident that occurred at Convent Hill, Clonakilty on the afternoon of May 27, 2024.Mr Harrington had threatened the Tidy Towns volunteer he would hold his head under water and “keep it there until the last breath”. Mr Harrington had claimed the injured party’s van was parked in a dangerous position in the lay-by which adjoined a busy main road.He said there was not enough room to safely pass it and it was parked in a position that restricted access to his property. When Garda Brian Noonan attended the scene, he was able to pass the parked van in the lay-by in the garda SUV and also reverse back past it as well. He told the court in his opinion the van was not parked in a dangerous position, did not block access to Mr Harrington’s driveway and did not pose a danger for vehicles turning onto the adjoining main road.Judge Carroll said Harrington has been “incensed by what he perceived was a wrong”, but that was not the case. The judge said Harrington had wanted to “threaten and bully people” into not parking in the lay-by, and wanted to “take the law into his own hands.” The judge told Harrington: “You are very volatile and explosive over this issue.” She ordered Harrington to attend at least “three or four” anger management sessions, to donate €200 to the poor box and to carry out 20 hours of voluntary work, which she advised him not to do with the Tidy Towns. The judge said if Harrington obeyed the courts instructions, then the Probation Act would be applied and the case was adjourned to November 4, 2025.
This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
