A Dublin man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after he threatened to “cut the neck” of his neighbour in what a judge described as “a mixture of blind stupidity and alcohol”.
Christopher Lambe (32) of Rossfield Avenue, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty earlier at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court this year to one count of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Julie Piggot.
Detective Garda John Byrne told Lisa Dempsey, BL, prosecuting, that on January 24th, 2021, he was alerted to an incident in Rossfiled Avenue.
Ms Piggot told gardaí she was woken at 5am by someone banging on a downstairs window. She looked out the window and saw a man wearing a woolen hat, whom she thought was her partner, who lives a few doors away.
She first checked on her children and then went downstairs and opened the front door.
Det Gda Byrne told the court there no one was there when Ms Piggot opened the door. She then felt someone grab her from around the waist and pull her from the doorway. At this time, she could feel something being pressed into her side.
The court heard that Lambe forced Ms Piggot across the road to an apartment with which she was not familiar.
Lambe was shouting at Ms Piggot that he would stab her, forcing her to knock on the apartment door, which a man and woman answered.
The woman told the couple she was forced to knock on the door and if she did not, “he would stab me.” At this point, Lambe ran away and gardaí were called to the scene.
Ms Piggot told gardaí the man who had forced her across the road and threatened to stab her was Lambe, whom she had met previously through her partner.
CCTV
CCTV footage from the occupiers of the apartment that Ms Piggot was forced to knock on was used to identify Lambe, who lived one floor up.
The CCTV footage further depicted Lambe saying “I will cut the neck of ya,” to Ms Piggot.
A warrant was issued, but Lambe was not home when gardaí arrived at his property. Officer gained entry to the property and observed items of clothing which matched those worn by Lambe on the CCTV footage.
Det Gda Byrne told the court that gardaí returned later and Lambe was arrested and brought to Tallaght Garda station where he was later charged.
Lambe has 86 previous convictions.
John Fitzgerald SC defending, told the court his client had a good work history and came from a good family background. Character references were handed into court on Lambe’s behalf, including a letter from his father.
Mr Fitzgerald said Lambe was under the influence of alcohol and “acted stupidly” after he believed Ms Piggot’s partner had not taken correct care of his dog while he was away.
Judge Martin Nolan said for some bizarre reason, Lambe had enticed the injured party out of her home, and the purpose of this escapade was to get her to apologise to the occupiers of the apartment regarding the nose his dog made while in the care of her partner.
Judge Nolan said Lambe must have absolutely terrified the woman, but said he would consider Lambe’s expression of remorse as a mitigating factor; along with the fact that he seemed to be a good family man, as reflected in his father’s letter.
Judge Nolan said: “It goes without saying that he cannot escape a custodial sentence. A mixture of blind stupidity and alcohol were involved in carrying out this offence.”
The judge sentenced Lambe to 18 months in prison.
