‘If I find you, I will kill you’

Video-playing man to threatened to kill neighbour

A man who was playing video games in the middle of the night threatened to kill his neighbour, who complained about the noise.
Adrian Merz (24) of 27 Blackfort Manor, Castlebar, a Polish native, appeared before Castlebar District Court where he admitted to brandishing a kitchen knife at his neighbour and repeatedly saying to him, ‘If I find you, I will kill you’.
The court heard that the incident occurred at 1am when Mr Merz was drinking whiskey and playing video games and making so much noise it woke up his neighbour’s five-year-old daughter.
Supt Joe McKenna explained that when the neighbour went to Mr Merz house to ask him to be quiet, he heard arguing inside between a male and a female before Mr Merz opened the door.
Mr Merz’s partner was trying to restrain him, but he came outside with the knife over his head shouting. His partner managed to bring him back into the house, and the Gardaí were called.
When the Gardaí arrived, they found Mr Merz to be intoxicated and in a distressed state and admitted to his actions on the night.
Ms Cathy McDarby, solicitor for Mr Merz explained that on the night her client was drinking whiskey and playing a video game and had started to get loud when he was losing.
She said his blood was up when someone came to the door but accepted that he behaviour was ‘beyond unacceptable’.
Despite the threat to kill him, the court heard that the neighbour is still sociable to Mr Merz and his partner. Ms McDarby said his client was amazed at the decency of his neighbour in light of his poor behaviour and he wished to apologise to his neighbour and his family.
Ms McDarby said that Mr Merz and his partner had a young child and he was currently seeking employment.
Judge Mary Devins said she would not make a recommendation on a sentence until a probation report was prepared, and she adjourned sentencing until February 15, 2017.