Woman claims threat by garda

A woman believed her life to be in danger due to a threat made over the phone from a garda in August 2004, a court was told yesterday.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Garda Pat Keating (34) went on trial for threatening Eavan Drysdale, Shannon, a witness in proceedings for an offence, in order to pervert the course of justice at Ballycasey, Shannon on August 18th, 2004. Garda Keating denies the charge.

On the first day of the trial yesterday, Ms Drysdale told the court that Garda Keating told her by phone on August 18th: "You are the next Geraldine Kissane."

Garda Keating's ex-girlfriend told the court: "I felt that my life was in danger and that he would take his own life, as he was referring to the Kissane case." (In October 2001, Shannon woman Geraldine Kissane (23) was shot dead by her ex-boyfriend Mark Simms (32) before he turned the gun on himself.)

Ms Drysdale said earlier that night Garda Keating had phoned her to say: "I'm going down and you're going down with me."

Ms Drysdale said this comment was in relation to a public order case that Garda Keating was facing. Ms Drysdale was also a witness in the case that stemmed from an incident involving the two in Shannon in March 2004.

Ms Drysdale said that after receiving the final call she contacted Supt John Kerin of Ennis Garda station, which resulted in Garda Keating making a statement on the matter to gardaí. She told the court that she and Garda Keating had been lovers before they broke up in February 2004.

Asked by counsel for Garda Keating, Thomas Creed SC, why their relationship had initially ended in December 2003, Ms Drysdale said: "Pat was sleeping with other people. He would declare his undying love for me after getting out of other people's beds."

The trial continues today before Judge Carroll Moran.