Ireland Case No. 5431Threats to kill · Co. Dublin
Man charged over threat to kill Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald
A video circulating online showed a masked man threatening to shoot Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and calling for harm to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, and Ms McDonald made a formal complaint to gardaí on Wednesday. On Thursday 18 July 2024, gardaí arrested Richard McGreevy, a 28-year-old man, at a property in Rathfarnham, South Co Dublin, and he was station charged that evening under Section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. He is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Friday 19 July 2024 at 10:30am.
- Reported17 Jul
- Arrested18 Jul
- Charged18 Jul
2 reports - In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A video circulating online shows a masked man in a homemade balaclava threatening to shoot Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.
- In the video the man says he will shoot Ms McDonald himself.
- Sources differ on the threat to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris: one says the man said Harris would be shot before the end of the year, while another says he urged others to cut Harris's throat.
- Richard McGreevy, a 28-year-old man, is the person named as the suspect.
- When
- Ms McDonald made a formal complaint to gardaí about the threat on Wednesday.
- Where
- Gardaí arrested the man on Thursday morning at a property in Rathfarnham, South Co Dublin.
- Reports describe the suspect as from West Dublin, while the arrest was at a residence in South Dublin.
- Investigation
- Gardaí confirmed an investigation into the video, which was posted to a publicly available TikTok account.
- Officers searched the Rathfarnham property and the man was questioned by detectives from the Special Detective Unit.
- Charges
- The man was station charged on Thursday evening at a Garda Station in Dublin under Section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.
- Gardaí said the man was charged over threats made online against a public representative and a Senior Garda Officer.
- In court
- The man is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Friday 19 July 2024 at 10:30am.
- Other details
- In the video the man pledged support for the Coolock protests.
- Media reports say the man is known to gardaí, was previously convicted for robbing a shop, and is on bail facing a District Court case over an alleged theft-related incident later this year.
35 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA video circulating online showed a masked man threatening to shoot Mary Lou McDonald. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatIn the video the man said he would have Garda Commissioner Drew Harris shot before the end of the year. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatIn the video the man said he would shoot Mary Lou McDonald himself. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man was arrested in connection with threats to kill Mary Lou McDonald and the Garda Commissioner. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatIn a video circulating online, the suspect, wearing a homemade balaclava, threatened to shoot Ms McDonald. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatIn the video he threatened Drew Harris, saying he would be shot before the end of the year. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatIn the video he said he would shoot Ms McDonald. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe man was charged in connection with a video threat to kill Mary Lou McDonald. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe man was 28 years old. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatIn a video, a masked man wearing a homemade balaclava threatens to shoot Mary Lou McDonald and urges others to cut the throat of the Garda Commissioner. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe video showed a masked man threatening to shoot Mary Lou McDonald and urging others to cut the throat of the Garda Commissioner. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMary Lou McDonald said a threat to kill her was issued online. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe arrest took place at a property in Rathfarnham, South Co Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereHe was arrested at a property in Rathfarnham, South Co Dublin, on Thursday morning. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenHe was arrested this morning. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationMary Lou McDonald made a formal complaint to gardaí about the threat. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí have confirmed an investigation into the video. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHe is being questioned by detectives. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGardaí confirmed an investigation into the video. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationMs McDonald made a formal complaint to gardaí on Wednesday. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationOfficers searched the property in Rathfarnham. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe videos were posted to a publicly available TikTok account. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationAn alleged threat prompted Mary Lou McDonald to make a formal complaint to gardaí on Wednesday. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe was charged under Section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997 at a Garda Station in Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeGardaí said the man was charged over threats made online against a public representative and a Senior Garda Officer. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe man is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Friday 19 July 2024 at 10:30am. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Friday 19 July 2024 at 10:30am. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherIn the video the man pledged his support for the Coolock protests. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe suspect is reported to be from the West Dublin area. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe suspect is reported to be on bail in relation to an alleged theft-related incident. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMary Lou McDonald said a threat to kill her was issued online the previous night. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherIn the video he pledged support for the Coolock protests. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherThe man is well known to gardaí and is considered to be primarily a petty thief. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherThe man was previously convicted a number of years ago for robbing a shop of a significant sum of money. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherThe man is currently on bail and faces a District Court case over an alleged theft-related incident later this year. (dublinlive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 19 Jul2024Face of man charged over sinister video threat to kill Mary Lou McDonald
Adds the arrest at a Rathfarnham property, the station charge, the court date and the name of the accused. Also reports a related threat against Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
accused, Richard McGreevy, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Richard McGreevyvictim, Mary Lou McDonald, female, irish (judged from name)Mary Lou McDonaldvictim, Drew Harris, irish (judged from name)Drew Harris - 18 Jul2024Man charged over sinister threat to kill Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald
Reports the arrest and charge of a man, aged 28, under Section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, over a video threat to kill Mary Lou McDonald. The threat was made in a video posted to a TikTok account, and the article gives no date for when it was posted.
accused, 28, male - 18 Jul2024Man arrested over threats to kill Mary Lou McDonald and Drew Harris
Reports the arrest of a man in his 20s over the online threat video, quotes the threats and Ms McDonald's response, and gives background on the suspect.
suspect, 20s, malevictim, Mary Lou McDonald, female, irish (judged from name)Mary Lou McDonaldvictim, Drew Harris, irish (judged from name)Drew Harris - 17 Jul2024Convicted robber is suspect behind threat to kill Mary Lou and top Garda
The Irish Mirror reports that it has identified the suspect, a convicted robber from West Dublin, and that gardaí have confirmed an investigation. No arrest or charge is reported. The article also covers a separate 2022 threat against Leo Varadkar, which is not part of this case.
suspect, late 20s, malevictim, Mary Lou McDonald, irish (judged from name)Mary Lou McDonaldvictim, Drew Harris, irish (judged from name)Drew Harris