Man who said he wanted to cut up two social workers in a voice note is handed a suspended sentence

By David O’Sullivan

A man who said in a voice note that he wanted to cut two social workers up and throw them over a balcony has been handed a fully-suspended sentence.

Fionn Costello (35), of Whitefriar Gardens, Whitefriar Street, Dublin 8, came before Judge Orla Crowe in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday having pleaded guilty to publishing a threatening message at an unknown location between January 1 and July 13 of 2021.

Garda Jean McDonald told the court a man connected to Costello contacted a woman working as a social worker on July 13, 2021.

He said he wanted to bring a Whatsapp message to her attention.

The court heard the man forwarded a voice message where Costello, referring to the woman and another social worker, said he would ‘throw them over a balcony and cut them up.’

One of the women believed the threats were made because of their interactions with Costello’s family on behalf of Tusla.

Costello was arrested on May 5, 2022 and said he ‘lost the head for a split second’ and wasn’t fond of social workers because they had split up his family when he was a child.

He accepted during garda interview that the messages were intimidating, but the court was told it wasn’t his intention that the message ever be sent to either woman.

Costello pleaded guilty to the charges on October 4 of this year.

No victim impact statement was handed in to the court by either woman.

Rory Mulvaney BL, defending, said Costello felt the women had been bullying his sister but that ‘these were poorly thought-out actions in the heat of the moment.’

He said Costello apologises, had no intention in ever doing what was said in the voice note and recognises what was said was ‘out of order’.

Mr Mulvaney said Costello was ‘shocked’ when he heard the voice note played to him and asked the court to deal with the matter leniently.

Costello has several previous convictions for possession of drugs, public order and road traffic offences.

In sentencing, Judge Crowe said it was a very unusual situation but that the messages were ‘undoubtedly threatening and upsetting.’

She said ‘this should not have happened’ and that Costello ‘has a lot more that he can contribute to society by keeping his head down and following his responsibilities.’

Judge Crowe said Costello didn’t intend to send the message to the women and that ‘it was effectively through the engagement of another person who inserted himself,’ that the messages reached them.

She sentenced him to a period of four and a half months’ imprisonment but suspended the sentence in its entirety.