Man (35) who threatened prison chief given 30 month sentence

Following a two day trial at Craigavon Crown Court last week where he defended himself without a lawyer, 35-year-old Martin Mongan was convicted by a jury of attempting to intimidate the assistant governor from his home on 19 April 2019.

Reviewing the case today, Judge Patrick Lynch KC offered Mongan the opportunity to have a pre-sentence report from probation but he declined and told the judge “I just want it dealt with” as that meant he could start the appeal process.

The jury heard how Mongan “made threats to the assistant governor that he would be killed” with the defendant “making clear that he knew where the ass. gov. lived.”

Bizarrely, the jury also heard how Mongan had even written a letter to his victim alleging that “he had information that the governor was in his attic and masturbating while he was having sex with his wife.”

Giving evidence at the trial, the assistant governor said the threats were part of a “continuing saga” between himself and the defendant but that knowing Mongan’s previous offences “and record for violence…he had to undertake extra security measures to protect himself and his family.”

Jailing Mangan today Judge Lynch ordered the sentence to be served half in custody and half on licence.