Death threat accused's girlfriend worked in garda's gym

Wayne Ebbs (29), whose girlfriend worked at the gym, said he would be able to find out where the garda lived, Dublin District Court was told.

Ebbs is denying a charge of using threatening, abusive and insulting words and behaviour in the incident outside his home in Tallaght.

Children

His defence failed to have the case dismissed over concerns that a garda witness had been seen talking to other officers while he was excluded from the court during evidence.

Garda Ciaran Loughrey told the court he was on patrol, passing the defendant's home at Rossfield Park, Tallaght at 2.15pm on October 11 last year.

Children were out playing and he heard a man shouting: "f**k off, f**k off". He saw the accused standing in his driveway and stopped the car.

"(The defendant) said 'I am going to get you, I am going to find out where you live'," Garda Loughrey alleged. "He made a direct threat against me."

The garda said he then got out and identified himself to the accused.

He said the defendant then started saying "sorry, sorry", before asking for "a straightener", which he took to mean a fight.

Ebbs' mother came out and started "giving out" to her son, he said. The garda decided to walk away but claimed Ebbs followed him and "squared up" to him.

The garda alleged Ebbs said "look over my shoulder" and explained that his girlfriend, Edwina Doran, worked in the gym where the garda trained.

He alleged Ebbs said the garda's address would be on file there and "that was how" he was going to get it.

The court heard the accused would deny this.

Garda Loughrey denied instigating the incident by calling Ebbs "fathead" and squaring up to him.

Judge Catherine Murphy adjourned the case for two weeks .

hnews@herald.ie