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8 years for man whose gun jammed when he tried to shoot ex-girlfriend in head

2019-01-18 · Boyle, Roscommon · Central Criminal Court

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A man has been sentenced to eight years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend in County Roscommon. Gerard Mooney, aged thirty-nine and formerly of Castlerea, pleaded guilty to attempting to shoot the woman in the head on 12th February 2017 at Cartron. He also admitted possessing a sawn-off shotgun, making threats to kill, criminal damage, harassment, and burglary. Justice Michael White imposed a twelve-year sentence on the attempted murder charge, suspending the final four years. The judge noted that Mooney came "within a hair's breadth" of a murder conviction and that his victim survived only due to mechanical failure when the weapon jammed repeatedly. The court heard the accused had made over 250 calls to the victim between 7th and 12th February and had breached court bail conditions prohibiting contact. Justice White identified the case as exemplifying how intimate relationships can become dangerous, citing psychological difficulties and substance abuse as contributing factors. All sentences will run concurrently and were backdated to February 2017.

Source: Courts News Ireland This page is a localnews.ie summary and index entry; the full original report may require a publisher subscription.

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