Kilkenny Court: Three men sentenced for demanding money with menace

Three men who pleaded guilty to demanding money with menace and other offences have been handed down prison sentences at Kilkenny Circuit Court.

Mariusz Mikarej, Apt 12 Calder House, Paddy Brown’s Road, Waterford, was convicted of assault causing harm and was sentenced to two years in prison with the final 12 months suspended for two years, on condition that he enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years post release. He was also convicted of demanding money with menace and sentenced to three years and four months with the final 16 months suspended.

Kevin Botezatu, 102 O’Connell Court, Penrose Lane, Waterford was convicted of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm and was handed down a 16 month suspended sentence, with the final six months suspended. He was also convicted of two counts of demanding money with menace and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison sentence with the final 16 months suspended for two years. The defendant was also sentenced to two years for assault causing harm with the final 12 months suspended for two years.

Judge Jonathan Dunphy ordered that all the sentences imposed are to run concurrently.

Joao Pedro Correia O’Shea, 32 Avondale Park, Waterford was convicted of demanding money with menace and was handed down a two year prison sentence which was fully suspended for a period of two years.

Prosecuting barrister, Dylan Redmond told the court that the incidents before the court relate to two separate dates with two differing injured parties.

Victim impact statements were handed into the court in relation to both of the injured parties.

The court heard that gardaí received a report from the first injured party on October 25, 2023 Kevin Botezatu and Mariuz

Mikarej had bundled him into Kevin Botezatu’s car in the Ferrybank area. The car doors were locked and monies were demanded from him over a drugs debt. The court heard that the car was crashed and that the injured party was taken from the car and was assaulted on the ground and sustained injuries to his nose and face. A number of photographs of his injuries were handed into the court.

The court heard that the incident ended when the injured party was dropped to a location and the defendants drove off in another direction. The injured party made a statement to gardaí and his injuries were photographed and his clothing was seized.

The court heard that a separate incident took place on the previous day, October 24, 2023 at a housing estate when Kevin Botezatu was present along with Joao Pedro Correia O’Shea. The court heard that on this date woman was put into a car against her will and driven around Ferrybank for approximately 20 minutes, that her phone was taken from her and that demands were made from her for monies for debts owing over drugs.

The court heard that Botezatu was driving the vehicle on the date in question and that Joao Pedro Correia O’Shea was a front seat passenger and that O’Shea told the phone from the injured party and threw it out of the window.
Statements were taken by gardaí from both of the injured parties and all three of the accused men were arrested and detained and questioned in relation to the offences before the court.

Botezatu told gardaí that both of the injured parties had owed monies for loans in relation to drugs. He also admitted crashing the car and assaulting the male injured party in the incident on October 25, 2023. He also admitted placing the male in the back of the car against his will.

O’Shea admitted accompanying Botezatu on October 25 and to taking the phone which belonged to the female injured party.
Mariusz Makarej admitted that he had assaulted the injured party in the incident on October 25, 2023.

The victim impact statement of the male injured party stated that he had suffered both mentally and physically as a result of the offences.