Men charged with making threats to kill sent forward for trial to Circuit Court

Books of Evidence have been served on two men charged with making threats to kill and making menacing demands over property.

Patrick Friel and Declan Jordan appeared before Carndonagh District Court, where they were both sent forward for trial to Letterkenny Circuit Court.

Friel (34) is from Trillick, Buncrana, but his address in court was listed as Juniper Park, Foyle Springs, Derry.

Jordan (31), of Hillview, Lismonaghan, Letterkenny, was an unsuccessful independent candidate in the 2024 Donegal County Council elections.

Friel is accused of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to Frank Larkin at Applegreen service station in Burnfoot on November 17, 2022. He is also accused on the same date and location of making an unwarranted demand with menaces for Frank Larkin to relinquish ownership of a property at Crievesmith, Letterkenny, commonly known as ‘Nessels’.

Jordan faces the same two charges, but he is additionally charged with possession of an unauthorised firearm, namely a 928-type stun gun, at his Letterkenny home on January 24, 2023.

Jordan is also charged with making an unwarranted demand with menaces to “prevent other men from coming after Frank [Larkin] unless he was helped from one Anita Larkin.” This alleged offence took place on a date unknown between December 1, 2022 and December 21, 2022 at Gap Coffee Co in Bridgend.

Friel faces a further charge of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to Frank Larkin at Inch Level, Burnfoot, on February 2, 2025.

Detective Garda Joe English said he served Books of Evidence on Friel and Jordan at Bunrcrana Courthouse – where Carndonagh District Court continues to sit – on Tuesday morning, May 20 at 10.38am.

Sergeant Emmet Brady told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions has consented to both accused men being sent forward for trial to the current sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court.

Judge Eiteain Cunningham noted that the Books of Evidence had been served, giving the defendants the ‘alibi warning’.

“If you intend to rely on alibi evidence in the defence of your case in the Circuit Court, you must give written notice to the State Solicitor within fourteen days of today’s date,” she explained.

The judge made an order returning both accused to the present sittings of Letterkenny Circuit Court, and she also made the “usual Section 56 order”, requiring the prosecution to turn over all copies of Garda interviews to the defence.

Defence solicitor Frank-Aran Murphy made a Legal Aid application on behalf of both men and for two barristers each – a Senior Counsel and a Junior Counsel – “given the gravity of the charges” against them.

The men were released on bail “on the same terms”. There had been some concern about Friel keeping his bail conditions, but Sergeant Brady said he had checked and everything was in order.

Separately, Friel is charged with assault causing harm to two members of An Garda Siochana. It is alleged that he assaulted Sergeant Michael Devlin and Garda Ian Oates on August 20, 2023 at Ardaravan, Buncrana, causing both of them harm. He is also accused of resisting arrest and being threatening and abusive.

A medical report was handed to the judge to ascertain whether or not she would accept jurisdiction in the case involving Sgt Devlin specifically.

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Judge Cunningham accepted jurisdiction but warned Friel that it was “a very serious matter”.

“The report indicates minor injuries, but a punch to the head of a Garda member who was in the course of his duties is definitely something at the upper end of the jurisdiction of this court,” the judge said.

“In light of the medical report, I’m going to accept jurisdiction, but I want it to be known that it’s certainly at the very upper end for an offence of that nature before this court,” she added.

Meanwhile, Friel is further charged with a series of summary road traffic offences, including failure to provide a blood or urine sample, failure to provide an oral fluid specimen, careless driving, as well as driving without a licence and driving without insurance. These matters were adjourned until July 10 next.