A dangerous dog that belonged to Browne’s Steakhouse murder victim Jason Hennessy must be destroyed after it was allegedly deliberately turned loose on gardaí by his widow, Judge John Martin ruled in the Circuit Civil Court on Wednesday.
Four members of An Garda Siochána told Judge Martin they had been on routine beat at Sheephill Avenue, Corduff, on March 28th last and had to run for their lives when Odie, the late Hennessy’s large XL pitbull, a restricted breed, ran at them aggressively.
“It was not muzzled nor on a leash and we had to jump into neighbouring gardens and hide behind garden walls to protect ourselves,” one garda told the judge. He and three colleagues gave evidence of the attack they said put them in fear for their lives.
Each of them, led in evidence by Garda Sgt Michael Harkin, stated it was Veronica Maher, the 54-year-old widow of murdered Jason Hennessy, who had let out the uncontrolled dog on to the roadway.
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Each of the gardaí gave corroborative evidence of hearing Ms Maher shout at them: “Get the f**k away from my house you murderers and scumbags.”
When another woman had called the dog back into the Maher home, Ms Maher had allegedly shouted at the gardaí that if they did not “f**k off” or if any gardaí came to her house again, she would let the dog out on them again.
Ms Maher, with an address in Sheephill Avenue, Corduff, gave evidence of the dog being a loving and friendly animal which played with children aged between one and 11 in her front garden. “I never wanted the dog,” she said. “Odie was my husband’s dog and my husband was murdered in Browne’s restaurant. I had to take it.”
She told the judge one of the gardaí had thrown something into her front garden and Odie had jumped the wall. He had only been on the public road for about four seconds before she brought him back into her garden.
The judge said no such allegations had been put by Ms Maher’s legal team to the four Garda members who had given evidence.
Ms Maher is the widow of Jason Hennessy, who was shot dead in a gang-related attack at the steakhouse restaurant in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve 2023.
An order was made in the District Court directing that Odie be destroyed and Ms Maher had unsuccessfully appealed this to the Circuit Civil Court, which heard the matter on Wednesday.
The judge said the State had proven its case and he affirmed the orders of the District Court judge which means Odie will now be destroyed.
