Convicted killer receives partially suspended prison sentence for serious assault

By Declan Brennan

A convicted killer has received a partially suspended prison sentence of eight years for a serious assault on a woman during which he tried to drown her.

Anthony Locke (48) of Ramillies Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin was jailed for seven years in 1998 for the manslaughter of Gerard Kavanagh and his girlfriend Mary Core at Decies Road, Ballyfermot on February 18, 1995.

Mr Kavanagh (30) and Ms Core (29) died of smoke inhalation after their flat was set on fire by Locke.

Ms Core was 36 weeks pregnant and was delivered of a stillborn child by caesarean section after the fire.

On September 5, 2024, a tactical team from the Garda Emergency Response Unit (ERU) was called out to a flat in Kilmainham, Dublin 8 when Locke’s then partner called gardai to say Locke was having a psychiatric episode.

Yesterday, Locke appeared from custody at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on a charge of assault causing harm to the woman and threatening to kill her.

Locke, who has serious mental health issues, pleaded guilty to the offences.

 Garda Sergeant Derek Dalton told Aideen Collard BL, prosecuting, that the victim was a vulnerable woman and was in a controlling and volatile relationship with Locke.

 On the day in question, the victim called gardai to say that Locke was having a psychiatric episode.

He was smashing ornaments and throwing objects from a balcony and kept telling her he was “the lamb of god”.

The court heard that Locke began filling a bath and was telling the victim he was going to drown her in the “holy water”.

He told her to get into the bath and when she refused, he began dragging her by the wrists into the bathroom.

 He was telling her she was the devil and that he would kill anyone who came into the flat because they were possessed and would burn the building down.

The woman later told gardai that she was in fear for her life as she knew what Locke was capable of.

 Dt Gda Dalton said that was some suggestion that the episode was triggered by crack cocaine use.

He said when the ERU arrived, Locke “fought like a caged tiger”.

 He said Locke had flooded the flat and the slippery floor made it difficult for police to operate in.

Locke was arrested and detained under the Mental Health Act.

 He was later deemed fit to face trial.

The woman suffered extensive physical bruising, including bite marks, to her arms and breasts.

 As well as the arson and manslaughter offences, Locke also has a previous conviction for impeding the apprehension of a murderer and received an eight year prison sentence.

 Judge Martin Nolan said that Locke wasn’t taking the ordered appropriate medication at the time.

He said no doubt Locke would have killed the woman but thankfully she was robust enough to escape from him.

He said she has great affection for Locke who is a potential danger to society.

He suspended the last two years of an eight year prison term on condition that Locke keep the peace and be of good behaviour and obey all the instructions of the Probation Service for 18 months after his release.