Mayo couple tell judge of 'poison pen' letters in aftermath of Joe Deacy's death

A Mayo couple on whose driveway a badly injured young man who later died in hospital was discovered almost eight years ago told a judge today they were subjected to a barrage of ‘poison pen’ correspondence over a 12-month period.

Peter and Ann Byrne, who live at Gortnasillagh, Swinford, received 40 ‘vile’ messages on a variety of stationery including Christmas cards, birthday cards, a wedding anniversary card, and a Mother’s Day card between December 14, 2018, and December 31, 2019.

The signature on most of the cards was Joe or Joseph, the Christian name of 21-year-old Joe Deacy from St. Alban’s, Hertfordshire, U.K., who was found critically injured outside the Byrne home in the early hours of August 12, 2017.

The young GAA fan was visiting relatives in Co. Mayo at the time of the tragedy.

Gardai began a murder investigation after a postmortem examination at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, showed he had suffered a blunt-force trauma to the head.

Despite an intensive garda investigation, nobody has ever been charged with the murder.

At the Circuit Criminal Court in Castlebar today, Brendan Rowland (30), who is living in the United Kingdom but has a home address at Ballygaravaun, Ballycroy, appeared for sentencing after pleading guilty at an earlier court to a single count of harassing Peter Byrne, contrary to Section 10 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

Rowland was a close friend of the murder victim.

Sergeant Regina Carley told State prosecutor, Mr. Patrick Reynolds BL, that the signature on most of the cards was Joe or Joseph.

One card to the Byrnes read: “Merry Christmas. I hope you get a conscience for Christmas. From Joe.”

Another card held the message. “Hope Santa brings you a conscience. Joe.”

A third card read: "To the wholly honest Byrnes. Merry Christmas. Everyone knows the truth. I hope this Christmas brings you the courage instead of cowardice. From Joe.”

Another card read: “Hope you have a killer Christmas."

The court heard that on the occasion of their wedding anniversary the Byrnes were posted a black rose in a box.

No evidence was provided in court that the black rose was sent by the defendant, Rowland.

Sergeant Carley outlined DNA was used part of the garda investigation and CCTV harvested in order to determine where the stamps for the correspondence were purchased.

This led investigators to Mulranny Post Office where Kathleen Rowland, the accused person’s mother, was identified as having purchased the stamps.

The court was told that when Mrs. Rowland opened one of the greeting cards which her son in England had asked her to post she didn’t post them, having read the contents.

After being arrested on December 22, 2020, Brendan Rowland was arrested and taken to Castlebar Garda Station where he made admissions.

In her victim impact statement, Ann Byrne referred to “an organised and highly publicised march” to the family home following Joe Deacy’s death.

“Things seemed to get very toxic, very quickly after that," she recalled.

“Then the online abuse started…it reached a peak every year on anniversary of Joe Deacy’s death.

“I was horrified that then poisonous pen cards came to my house on the occasion of birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas.

“The tone of these cards was frightening and intimidating.

“I did not feel safe in my own home with these cards sent from unknown cowards ...afraid to write their own name.

“I felt sick to my stomach that the name of a dead person was signed on many these cards, that these cards had been sent knowing we could not have done more for Joe once he was discovered on our driveway."

She continued: “My family were not involved in whatever happened to Joe. I wish for the hatred to stop."

Mrs. Byrne ended her victim impact statement by requesting anybody who had information about Joe Deacy’s death to come forward with that information to gardai.

The court heard Rowland has previous convictions in the U.K. for offences which included possession of a knife in a public place, for which he served half of an eight-month sentence, drink driving, racially motivated religious harassment and assault.

Counsel for Rowland, Ms. Laura Byrne BL, said the accused is ashamed of his actions and wanted to offer an apology to Mr. and Mrs. Byrne.

Ms. Byrne said the loss of Joe Deacy had engulfed Mr. Rowland. Joe Deacy was meant to stay with him on the night he died but that didn’t happen.

Counsel asked the court to take into account her client’s record as a site foreman and said he was hardworking, loyal and trustworthy and organised a number of fundraising events for charity.

Judge Garavan said the offences merited a custodial sentence but he did not think in the circumstances that this was justified.

Putting back sentence until October, the judge suggested Rowland, with the involvement of the Byrnes, should consider some small memorial to commemorate Joe Deacy with him picking up the price tab.

“Let there be a symbolic shaking of hands. That would maybe bring closure”, the judge, who commended Mayo gardai for their successful investigation of the case.