Enniskillen Courthouse
A 35-year-old man with 580 previous convictions, who threatened to burn down the home of a father-of-three with his children inside has appealed a five month prison sentence.
Mark Terrence Convey – who described himself as ‘mad’ – from Enniskillen threatened to burn down the home of Adrian Smith by putting a petrol bomb through the letter box at the property in Carrowshee Avenue, Lisnaskea.
The case was initially heard as a contest as Convey denied the charges. Threats to damage property and intimidation of a witness.
The injured party Smith, who made the complaint to police, had been a witness in a court case involving Mark McCaffery, the partner of Convey’s mother.
Smith told a previous court sitting at around 8.30pm Convey called him over to his mother’s house in Carrowshee Park and asked him to drop the charges.
He said that Convey became aggressive. “He was acting very aggressively standing in front of me like he was drunk begging ‘please drop the charges my mum’s not well’. I told Mark he was intimidating a witness. I felt very intimidated and annoyed.”
He continued: “He told me he was mad Mark Convey from Enniskillen and he’s afraid of no one or no man.” Smith then noted that Convey came close to his face and began poking his chest and then pointed to his house saying: “I’m not afraid to burn any house with children in it. He told me ‘I’m here to cause trouble in the park tonight’.” Convey denied saying anything to Smith.
Defence barrister Steffan Rafferty said the defendant would benefit from a period of supervision from a community service order.
He told the court Convey felt he had something to offer the community, but conceded he had a multitude of problems, including an addiction problem with alcohol.
The defence suggested that by imposing a community service order it could benefit Convey in the long term and allow him to make a positive impact in the community.
Speaking about Convey’s record district judge Nigel Broderick commented: “It is one of the most considerable I have seen for some time.” Considering the matter carefully the judge took into account Convey’s lengthy criminal record of 580 convictions he noted as “considerable to say the least”. He also highlighted the serious charge of intimidating a witness.
“Anyone who intimidates a witness can expect to be dealt with robustly, especially a man who has amassed so many convictions.”
Convey appealed the charge and has been released on his own bail of £500.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere