A 35-year-old Kerry man has been jailed for 18 months for perverting the course of justice.
Tralee Circuit Court heard that James McCarthy of 11 Muing Estate, Oakpark, Tralee committed the crime on the 15th June 2025.
Judge Alec Gabbett was told that Mr McCarthy was not the index offender in that he intimidated the witness to retract their statement against someone else.
The court heard that Mr McCarthy drove the witness to a Garda Station and threatened to break the witness' neck unless he dropped his compliant against Mr McCarthy's acquaintance.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Gabbett said that this intimidation was a "grave offence which struck at the heart of justice" and damaged the "integrity of the justice system".
The judge said there were several mitigating factors including that Mr McCarthy had given a signed plea, that his mother had cancer, that he was a married father-of-four, and that he was in counselling for childhood trauma.
Judge Gabbett sentenced him to two years imprisionment with the final six months suspended on his own bond of €100.
