An East Belfast man who threatened to slit a judge’s throat was today (Thursday) jailed for eight months.
Scott McCormick, 35, of Bloomfield Street, had previously pleaded guilty to a single count of making a threat to kill Her Honour Judge Fiona Bagnall.
Belfast Crown Court heard that at 8 am on August 25, 2022, a security guard at Laganside Court Complex in Oxford Street noticed a male cycling towards the doors of the building.
The security guard stopped him from accessing the building after setting off metal detectors at the entrance.
Prosecution barrister Rosemary Walsh told Mr Justice O’Hara that when challenged by a security officer McCormick enquired: “Where is Bagnall?”
McCormick was informed that she was not in the building, but he replied: “I’m going to cut her f***ing throat, there’s going to be a bloodbath.”
Ms Walsh said the defendant provided his full name and then left before saying: “Tell her Scott was looking for her, I can’t believe she has done this to me. I have a wee client who is going to do it for me.”
The court was told that five hours later McCormick returned at lunchtime and went to the second floor of the building and into a courtroom.
He told a security officer that he was there to see Judge Bagnall and was again told that she was not in the building.
As McCormick was escorted out he pointed towards the dock, stating: “I have been in there at least six times for breaking people’s noses.”
One member of court staff said that when she spoke to him she felt he was “intoxicated” as he was slurring his words.
Police were alerted to the incidents and carried checks to discover Judge Bagnall had first dealt with McCormick back in 2006 and the last time he was before her was in 2021.
Ms Walsh said that in a statement Judge Bagnall described being left “unnerved” by the incident and she “took the threat seriously”.
During police interviews, McCormick claimed he was hung over that morning and said he “didn’t know what was going on in his head”.
McCormick said he remembered asking about Judge Bagnall and where she was, adding he wouldn’t “say anything bad about her”.
The prosecutor said McCormick had 128 entries on his criminal record which included offences of dishonesty, possessing offensive weapons and a previous threat to kill conviction.
At the time of the incidents, McCormick was on probation and was in breach of a four month sentence suspended for two years.
She added that among the aggravating factors was that the threat was made to a public servant and he attended the courthouse on two occasions and repeated the threat.
Defence barrister Danielle McMahon said McCormick had experienced difficulties in his childhood which led to his addiction issues.
“He is remorseful for his actions as he was intoxicated at the time. No actual violence and no weapon was used or brandished,” she added.
Mr Justice O’Hara said threats to kill any public servant “be it a police man, nurse, bus driver or a judge is taken very seriously. Threats to kill a public servant will always be taken more seriously. Threatening to kill anyone is not acceptable.”
The senior judge added: “You are a man of 35 and you have never worked in a job in your whole life and you seem determined to waste your life.”
Imposing a global sentence of 16 months, Mr Justice O’Hara said half would be spent in custody and the remainder on supervised licence.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
