Dad's out-of-character threats to kill to young daughter and ex land him in jail - The Coventry Observer

Dad's out-of-character threats to kill to young daughter and ex land him in jail

Coventry Editorial 9th Aug, 2017 Updated: 9th Aug, 2017   0

A COVENTRY man phoned his young daughter threatening to ‘kill them all’ before threatening his ex with a knife.

After making the call, Karl O’Sullivan then turned up at his former partner’s home brandishing a knife with a ten-inch blade and threatening to stab her in what a judge described as ‘terrifying behaviour.’

O’Sullivan (42) of Falkener House, Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry, originally pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to a charge of making threats to kill.

But he changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial and was jailed for ten months, consecutive to a two-month sentence for an offence of affray, which he had already admitted.




Prosecutor Rebecca Wade said that O’Sullivan and his ex-partner Sharon Chapman had been in a relationship until 2006.

Their separation had been amicable, with him continuing to go to her home for dinner about once a month.


But that all changed on June 8 last year when, while she was at the dentist with one of her children, she had a call from her 12-year-old daughter asking if she would help O’Sullivan take the dog to the vet the next day.

She said she would think about it and let him know.

“Two minutes later the girl called again in hysterics, saying O’Sullivan had threatened that he was ‘going to come and kill us all.’

“She said he said he was going to kill her with a knife and then kill them all. Mrs Chapman went home, and found her in a state of distress.”

Mrs Chapman called O’Sullivan who threatened her: “I’m going to cut you up. I’m going to slice you and kill you.”

Twenty minutes later he turned up at her home, and she saw him standing outside brandishing a knife, making slashing motions and shouting: “Come out here.. I’m going to stab you.”

He banged on the door, but then walked away and began slashing at bushes in her neighbour’s garden.

She was frightened, but did not call the police because his actions were out of character, and went outside to speak to him to try to calm him down.

He ran up to her, poking the knife towards her chest, and when she pushed him, causing him to stumble, he again threatened to kill her, but she managed to push him again, causing him to drop the knife.

Other people had called the police, and officers arrived at that point and arrested O’Sullivan who smelled of drink and was unsteady on his feet, added Miss Wade.

Andrew Molloy, defending, said: “This behaviour was distinctly out of character for Mr O’Sullivan.

“Fourteen months have passed since this incident, without any further incident. He has requested the wishes of his daughter and his former partner not to contact them.”

Mr Molloy said that O’Sullivan, who was on medication for mental health issues, did not drink prior to the incident and has not drunk since then.

But on that day he had two cans of strong lager at a friend’s flat, as well as ‘a substance in a cigarette’ he had been given by that man.

“He will never behave in this way again. It was a bizarre one-off,” added Mr Molloy.

Jailing O’Sullivan, Recorder Steven Evans told him: “On top of your medication you drank some alcohol. You can’t explain why you did that, but the effect was to alter your behaviour in a dramatic fashion.“Your behaviour was bizarre and out of character.

“But it would send out quite the wrong message if you were not to go to prison for this type of behaviour in the street with a knife after making threats to kill.”

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