A Carlow man who was previously acquitted of killing his father has been jailed for two years and nine months after he doused his sister, her partner and himself in petrol following a family row.
Marcus Hannon (29) of Frederick Avenue, Athy Road, Carlow, pleaded guilty at Carlow Circuit Criminal Court to making threats to kill his sister, Lauren Hannon and assaulting her partner, Cian Comerford, at the family home on March 13, 2024.
The court heard that all three were living together at the time when there was a verbal altercation, which spilled out into the garden. Hannon produced a small can of petrol or a similar accelerant, before he doused all three of them in it.
Ms Hannon and Mr Comerford took refuge in a shed in the back garden and called gardaí. They were later treated in hospital because Ms Hannon had swallowed some of the liquid but neither she nor her partner sustained any injuries.
Hannon has previous convictions for production of an article, violent disorder and criminal damage. He has been on remand in prison since the offence.
The court heard that Hannon was acquitted of the manslaughter of his father Marcus “Murt” Brennan (46) following a trial at Carlow Circuit Criminal Court in April 2018.
He had pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of his father on January 27, 2016 after he stabbed the man in the leg following an argument.
The court heard during the trial that Hannon was in fear of his father who had numerous convictions for robbery, possession of a firearm and assault.
The manslaughter trial heard that Murt Brennan died after an artery, vein and sciatic nerve was severed during the stabbing.
Hannon had claimed that his father was “a psychopath” and that he was acting in self-defence.
He told gardaí during interview “It’s Murt. If I had stabbed him in the head, he would have come back at me”. He said he had stabbed in the leg as he thought it would not do much damage.
Judge Eugene O’Kelly said Hannon’s actions on the day were “highly dangerous” and must have caused great concern to his sister.
He acknowledged that Ms Hannon had previously read a victim impact statement in which she outlined the trauma she felt that day and her fear of being killed.
Judge O’Kelly said the offence had to be assessed in light of the fact that both Hannon and his sister lived in a very troubled, dysfunctional family which eventually led to the death of their father at the hands of Hannon.
“Violence was normalised in the home,” Judge O’Kelly said.
He said that at that time Hannon “was acting in self-defence and protecting himself from the violence of his father”.
He said Hannon’s sister had previously stated in her victim impact statement that “it was a very dark place to be in” – referring to the threats and attack in March last year.
Ms Hannon said she recalled the smell of the accelerant and she found it very hard to breathe.
She said Hannon was the “very person” who had previously protected her as her “big brother” but on this day she was afraid he would kill her.
Judge O’Kelly said the Ms Hannon said in her statement that she still grieves for the brother she loved but she said she is still afraid of him. “Living in fear for years does not stop,” she said.
Judge O’Kelly set a headline sentence of five years.
He acknowledged Hannon’s plea of guilty and said he had “a troubled background” and carries “the burden of guilt” particularly as a result “of the death of his father at his own hands”.
He acknowledged that Hannon has availed of psychological and psychiatric services since his remand in prison and is trying his best.
Judge O’Kelly reduced the sentence to three years and nine months.
He said he was anxious that Hannon will have the intervention of the Probation Service upon his release from prison before he suspended the final 12 months of the term on strict conditions including that he engage with the Probation Service for 18 months upon his release from prison.
The sentence was backdated to when Hannon first went into custody in March 2024.
Richard Downey BL defending said since his remand Hannon has been an enhanced prisoner and works in the laundry. He is availing of psychological services in prison.
“The offence is rooted in their past, what they grew up in, the type of dysfunction, persistent violence and drug taking which culminated in him taking his father’s life in self defence,” Mr Downey said.
He said Hannon carries the burden of the death of his father and his sister has not forgiven him for it.
Mr Downey said his client has a child. He said is now free from drugs and wants to maintain that.