Man on trial in Offaly accused of threatening to kill woman

AN Offaly man has gone on trial at Tullamore Circuit Court accused of threatening to kill a woman in the county.

Barry Murphy (40), Leabeg, Ballycumber denies two counts of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to the woman on July 20, 2022.

Shane Geraghty, BL, prosecuting (instructed by Offaly State Solicitor Sandra Mahon) opened the trial on Wednesday morning before Judge Sinead McMullan.

Mr Geraghty told a jury of seven women and five men that there will be evidence that Mr Murphy contacted the woman by phone text messages in the early hours of July 20 and issued certain threats to her.

Mr Geraghty said that later the same day the accused man attended at the woman's property and again issued certain threats to her.

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The jury was told by Judge McMullan that Mr Murphy does not have legal representation and was perfectly within his rights not to have any.

The first witness, Garda Tom Maher, Tullamore Garda Station, gave evidence of taking photographs of the exterior of a house and copies of the photographs were given to the jury.

When Mr Murphy was asked if he had any questions for Garda Maher he replied: “I'm not taking any part in this case.”

The trial will resume this afternoon.

Mr Murphy pleaded not guilty to the alleged charges last week when he was arraigned at Tullamore Circuit Court.