Man accused of raiding post offices for travel money to meet US fiancee faces death threat charges

Fintan Tindley (49) was charged by Garda Kevin Motherway before Cork District Court with issuing three death threats and producing a weapon, namely a knife, on each occasion.

He is charged with producing a knife at the South Douglas Road post office on November 11 and again on November 18.

The accused is further charged with producing a knife at the Ballintemple post office on November 16.

He faces three new charges of making a death threat in respect of all three dates.

It is alleged that, on November 11, a death threat was issued against an elderly male customer.

The other two dates involve alleged death threats being levelled against middle-aged women.

The charges alleged that “without lawful excuse, he made to a named person, a threat, intending the person to believe it would be carried out, to kill or cause the person serious harm, contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997".

Judge Olann Kelleher was told by Sergeant Pat Lyons that the State was seeking time to complete the book of evidence in the matter.

Mr Tindley was remanded to appear again on March 22 when gardaí hoped to be able to serve the book of evidence on the defendant at Cork District Court.

Defence solicitor, Micheal Quinlan, who was acting for Mr Tindley's counsel, Daithí O'Donnabháin, indicated there was no objection to the State application.

A previous court hearing was told that Mr Tindley was eager to travel to the US to meet a woman he was engaged to.

He had met the woman online during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Mr Tindley had travelled to the US on two occasions last year to meet the woman.

Gardaí told the court Mr Tindley was desperate to meet up with her again.

The defendant, who has an address at Loughmahon Avenue, Mahon, Cork, was a HSE home care assistant.

He was previously charged before Cork District Court with the robbery of South Douglas post office on November 11 and the robbery of Ballintemple post office on November 16.

Mr Tindley is also charged with the attempted robbery of South Douglas post office on November 18.