Man (68) who threatened to burn down Sligo business found with petrol and lighters in his car

Tony Fallon of Andromeda House, Knocknarea, Sligo appeared before Judge Kenneth Connolly at Sligo Circuit Court on Wednesday.

Mr Leo Mulrooney BL, with State solicitor Ms Elisa McHugh prosecuted while Mr Colm Smyth SC along with Mr Keith O’Grady BL instructed by Ms Aoife Kelly solicitor appeared for Fallon.

Mr Mulrooney told the court that Fallon had been arraigned on November 25, 2025 and pleaded guilty to making a threat to Neil Walton who he believed to be genuine at Voya Seaweed Baths, Strandhill, on February 27, 2024.

Garda Cian Erraught of Sligo Garda Station outlined the evidence led by Mr Mulrooney. The court heard that on February 27, 2024, Mr Walton was working on a pipe around midday at one of the baths at his business when he received a call from one of his receptionists.

Due to being near a pipe, Mr Walton could not hear clearly what was being said but he could hear screaming from his staff and that Fallon was at the front door of the premises.

Mr Walton came up to the front door and told Fallon not to threaten his staff. Fallon then lunged at him and Mr Walton pushed him away. Fallon then threw his cup of coffee which hit Mr Walton in the face. He then lunged at Mr Walton again and he pushed him off. Mr Walton then pushed Fallon out the door.

Fallon told Mr Walton that he would come back and burn the place down.

Later at 6:15pm, Gardaí received a report of a man in a car parked near the premises. At 6:25pm, Garda Erraught went to the scene and spotted Fallon in his car fidgeting with something in the footwell of the driver’s seat.

He informed Fallon that he received an allegation against him. Garda Erraught observed a lighter on the passenger seat and a canister of petrol, and two lighters in the car. The Garda subsequently seized the items. Fallon was parked 50 metres from Voya Seaweed Baths and it was approximately six hours after he made the initial threat.

Fallon was arrested and conveyed to Sligo Garda Station where he was interviewed and charged with the offence. After this, Fallon told Garda Erraught, “you believe him so, and not me so?”

Fallon informed Garda Erraught that he was looking for a builder, Mr Noel Kelly, at the Seaweed Baths. He then went to the reception where the receptionists informed him that Mr Kelly was on a teabreak.

Fallon then went over to Mr Kelly’s van and took the keys from it and went back to the reception. He told Garda Erraught that this was a joke, he told the receptionists that he was going to run and hide the van.

When asked on what he and Mr Walton spoke about, Fallon replied that there was a lot of ‘f**k yous and f**k thems.’

Garda Erraught then read out Mr Walton’s statement to Fallon and the threat made to him. Fallon denied that he said that he would burn the place down.

When asked about the cannister of petrol, Fallon replied that it was for his two stroke engine hedge cutter. When Garda Erraught put it to him that his hedgecutter was battery operated, Fallon said to look in his basement and see all the two stroke machines he had.

The court was then shown CCTV footage of Fallon moving in and out of the front door of Voya Seaweed Baths.

The court heard that the defendant has three previous convictions and that he had come to no adverse Garda attention since.

Garda Erraught read out a Mr Walton’s victim impact statement.

Mr Walton said that he and his staff were under extreme stress after the threat was made. He added that he had to escort his staff out to their cars when they finished their shift on the day. Mr Walton said that he was prepared to stay and sleep in his business overnight to protect it.

Mr Mulrooney informed the court that the maximum sentence for this offence was 10 years.

Fallon was invited to the witness box by Mr Smyth.

Fallon told the court that he had been employed in the UK, the USA and that he had employed over 50 people in Ireland. He added that he had bipolar disorder and that he had been on medication since he was 27-years-old. Fallon continued that when he had a lapse he did things he normally would not do.

Fallon said that the illness had a catastrophic impact on his life. He explained that when he was 45, he sold his house for €250,000 and planned to use the money to build a new one. However, he spent it all in the next 14 weeks which included a trip to Switzerland.

Fallon explained that his family called the mental health services, where he was taken in to assess his mental health. He added that after the incident in Strandhill, he was sent to the hospital under the Mental Health Act for approximately six weeks. Fallon explained that when he did not take his medication, his judgement was impaired.

Fallon explained that his son and wife had a plan in which they would call a consultant psychiatrist if things got out of hand. He added that he attended a clinic once a month.

Fallon said that he had €2,000 in compensation in court. He added that he does not want it to happen ever again and that he was truly sorry.

Judge Connolly asked Fallon if he could drive to Sligo without going through Strandhill. Fallon said that he can. He also informed Judge Connolly that he was a carer for his mother who lives in Sligo and that he cared for her every day at 2:30pm for an hour which gives his father a break.

Mr Smyth told Judge Connolly that the probation report for Fallon puts him at a low risk of re-offending. He added that the defendant had shown remorse. Mr Smyth continued that Fallon was a very decent person who comes from a very decent family. He asked Judge Connolly to be as lenient as he can.

Judge Connolly said that it was a very serious and worrying matter. He added that Fallon’s threat to come back and burn the place down was observed by Mr Walton and his staff and that they believed it to be genuine.

Judge Connolly continued that it was a serious aggravating factor that Fallon was located in the vicinity of Voya Seaweed Baths approximately six hours later.

Judge Connolly said that it was equally important that the court had a medical report which showed that Fallon had bipolar disorder. He added that it seemed likely that Fallon had a manic episode.

Judge Connolly noted that Fallon rendered a genuine apology and that he was absolutely mortified. He added that Fallon was at a low risk of re-offending and that his mother relied heavily on him for care.

He continued that the defendant had taken medication since to avoid other incidents and that his family had a plan for him if things got out of hand.

Judge Connolly sentenced Fallon to two years in prison, suspended for three years on condition that he keeps the peace and be of good behaviour, stay out of Strandhill, and not go within 30 metres of Voya Premises.

Other conditions were that the defendant would not have any unsolicited contact with the injured party, pay €2,000 in compensation to Mr Walton, be supervised by the probation services for 12 months and that he would continue to link in with his GP and attend all appointments.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.