Man threatened to burn down women's refuge in Waterford with 'all you whores inside'
Coady threatened to burn down Tinteán House on O'Connell Street in Waterford city.
A man threatened to burn down a refuge for women and children in Waterford City.
Ross Coady, of James Gate, Waterford City, screamed threats of arson at a terrified manager trying to keep people safe at Tinteán House, which caters for women and families who present as homeless.
The 40-year-old man was seen on CCTV acting aggressively outside the premises on March 25, 2024. Coady can be seen repeatedly blocking a woman from entering the building. The woman was able to enter the building with the assistance of the manager in the few seconds while Coady paced up and down the footpath.
He proceeded to hit the door and shout into the building various threats, including, “Watch me burn this place down with all you whores inside.”
Two days after the incident, Coady was arrested and charged with threatening criminal damage. He made no admissions during Garda interviews.
In her victim impact statement, the manager of Tinteán described how the ordeal left her deeply distressed and how Coady "demanded to be let into" the building. He screamed at her: “Watch what I do to you when I get my hands on you lanky mutt.”
In the aftermath of the attack, the manager felt nervous going into work, knowing that Coady lived nearby. She felt especially fearful as she worked with women in vulnerable situations.
Coady pleaded guilty at Waterford Circuit Court to making threats to commit criminal damage, with a threat to kill charge taken into consideration. He has 58 previous convictions, including 11 convictions for theft, eight for burglary and two for criminal damage.
Defence counsel Gareth Hayden BL informed the court that his client had "significant" mental health issues and substance misuse and had contracted tuberculosis (TB) during an earlier spell in custody.
Judge Eugene O’Kelly imposed a headline sentence of five years, reduced by one year in mitigation and a final year was suspended. Coady will begin the sentence, after the expiry of a current sentence imposed by Kilkenny Circuit Court.
