Widow of murdered criminal 'Fat' Andy Connors tells of strangle threat during burglary at home
The widow of murdered criminal 'Fat' Andy Connors has claimed a man accused of burglary at their family home said he would "strangle" her, a court has heard.
Jason Mansfield (28) was before Tallaght District Court accused of burgling the Connors' house in Tallaght.
At the beginning of the hearing yesterday, Mansfield's defence lawyer said that his client was changing his plea to guilty.
Mansfield, of Crooksling, Saggart and Kiltalawn Grove, Tallaght admitted to burglary at The Old Dog Pound, Boherboy, Tallaght, on March 15, 2015.
Garda Edward Walsh said that at 6.35am on March 15 last, the gardai responded to a 999 call that a female and her children had locked themselves in a bedroom in a house to protect themselves from a burglar.
Arriving at the scene, Gda Walsh said the house was locked up.
He said he spoke to Ms Connors, and then found Mansfield, who was in a highly intoxicated state, inside the house.
Children
Mr Mansfield's defence lawyer said that Mansfield is not working and is on social welfare.
The injured party, Ann Connors - the widow of 'Fat' Andy Connors, who was shot dead in August 2014 - then approached the bench and asked to speak.
Mr Mansfield's solicitor objected to the victim impact statement, but Judge Coughlan allowed her to speak, telling her that he accepted that she had "a traumatic experience".
Ms Connors took the stand and was sworn in.
"He [Mansfield] was drunk when the gardai arrived but he wasn't drunk when he was beating down my door," she said.
"He said it took a trigger to kill my husband. He said he was going to strangle me. I witnessed my husband being murdered. This case should not be in the District Court," she added.
Judge John Coughlan said jurisdiction had been accepted in this case and put it back for a future hearing on September 4, before Judge Bridget Reilly.
Judge Coughlan remanded Mansfield on continuing bail.