Man (22) cleared of threatening to harm woman after admitting thoughts of rape

A 22-year-old man who told a psychiatrist of his thoughts about wanting to “rape and skin alive” a young woman was cleared by a jury of threatening to kill or cause serious harm.

Robert Cawley of Four Winds, Corrimbla, Ballina, Co Mayo broke down in tears when the jury announced its unanimous verdict on Wednesday at the Circuit Criminal Court, sitting in Castlebar.

He had pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Renee McGuinness on February 12th 2018, contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

During the course of a two-day hearing, the jury heard that Dr Valentine Okechukwu, former consultant psychiatrist at the Adult Mental Unit at Mayo University Hospital, alerted gardaí to a comment made by the accused that he had presented for admission to the unit because of thoughts of suicide and wanting to kill somebody.

Dr Okechukwu, who is now working in Canada, gave evidence to the court via video link. He said the accused informed him of intentions to rape Ms McGuinness, a girl he had met in Co Sligo, and “skinning her alive”.

The witness said he was concerned because Mr Cawley repeated the threats and said the same thing to another consultant.

“I thought the risks were high”, Dr. Okechukwu, continued adding that Mr Cawley was known to abuse alcohol and cannabis on a chronic basis.

In evidence, Ms McGuinness, who is in her early 20s, said she knew the accused for a number of years having first met through a friend in Easkey.

She also knew Mr Cawley through Facebook and provided details of messages asking that they meet up. He had suggested that they meet in Easkey Castle but she suggested a pub in Ballina instead.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Diarmuid Connolly, the witness said: “I thought it strange to meet in an abandoned ruin”.

No meeting had ever taken place, Ms McGuinness added.

Sergeant Noel Crinnegan gave details of a question and answer session between the accused and gardaí in Castlebar garda station on February 16th.

In the interview, the accused denied ever making a threat about Ms McGuinness. He admitted saying he wanted to rape and skin someone but said he did not intend carrying these thoughts out.

“I was receiving medication at the time for social anxiety and ocd (obsessive compulsive behaviour),” he said.

“I had no intention of carrying them (thoughts) through. They were just on my mind an awful lot”.

In his closing address to the jury, prosecuting counsel Patrick Reynolds said Dr Okechukwu considered the risk real and ongoing.

In his closing remarks, Mr Connolly said: “The entire prosecution is simply wrong. We are here in essence because a young man had intrusive thoughts of harming another person.”

Mr Connolly said the accused had told his mother and with his family went to his GP and was treated in hospital. “What did he get for his trouble? A charge sheet.”

The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for 2½ hours.