Under threat Louth couple 'fearful for lives - but won't let this person win' after arson attacks
A couple say they ‘won’t be intimidated’ after being warned their lives are in danger – amid several arson attacks.
The couple, who have asked not to be named, were targeted in a shocking arson attack in Co Louth last week that saw vehicles set alight by a dangerous criminal.
Now a massive cross border garda operation is underway to track down the attacker – a volatile criminal who, it is feared, has access to firearms.
So big is the threat that local gardai have drafted in the armed Emergency Response Unit (ERU) in an attempt to apprehend the criminal – who is a well known “creeper” burglar and is recently released from prison after serving time for threats to kill.
Revealing pictures of the damage from the recent arson incident, the under threat couple spoke exclusively to the Irish Mirror – telling us they won’t be intimidated by the criminal, in spite of the fear.
“There’s a state of fear. We are of course fearful for our lives and the lives of our family members. But we’re not going to be intimidated.
“We want to bring the perpetrators to justice. The dogs on the street know who is behind this.
“We are defiant, we won’t let this person win,” they told us.
Shocking pictures show the damage done to the couple’s garage – the latest in a string of arson attacks against them – including against their business and against other family members.
Arson attack on premises in Co Louth
The couple say gardai have given them what’s known as a ‘Garda Information Message’ (GIM) – a written form that officially notifies a person that there is a credible threat against their lives.
“The fear and the terror of going to sleep at night time, you’ve no idea,” the woman in the couple told us.
“This is a row over a property we bought from the State.
“Since then we just don’t know what will happen next, what bomb is going to come through the door, who’s going to be targeted.
“We’re under the protection of the gardai. We both have been given letters telling us our lives are in danger.”
In spite of the threat the couple, who believe a “paymaster” is behind the threats, say they won’t be intimidated into silence.
“We’re going to keep on living our lives and we’re not going to be intimidated.
“We await eagerly for the persons actually responsible to be brought to justice.
“The paymaster involved in this whole thing will hopefully be brought to justice,” they added.
The couple claim the dispute, which has seen this dangerous criminal getting involved, stems from property they purchased back in 2021.
Arson attack on premises in Co Louth
They claim a person is deliberately trying to intimidate them ever since – and is utilising this recently released criminal to attack them.
“They burnt my shop down in 2021,” the woman explained.
“There’s only one person to gain from all of this.
Local gardai are understood to be working alongside national units in a major effort to safely apprehend the “career criminal”- in an operation that has now gone on for over 10 days.
An incident room has been set up, and gardai are understood to be working around the clock in an unprecedented effort that has now also seen the armed Emergency Response Unit (ERU) drafted in.
But a source told how the situation is complicated – and officers fear that the criminal could enact violence on anyone who approaches him.
“There’s a belief that he has access to firearms. So this has to be handled very sensitively,” a source said.
“He is so volatile at the minute because of drink and drugs.
The suspect was previously jailed in 2021 after a court heard how he threatened to kill two gardai and two other people.
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