Family feels in danger over son’s threats
At Ennis District Court yesterday, Paul Taylor, in a victim impact statement, told the court the ordeal that the family is going through as a result of the actions of Rowan Taylor “can only be described as a perpetual nightmare, without the relief from waking from it”.
Paul Taylor added that the family “grieve as though Rowan had died and yet cannot afford to feel bereaved in the normal way because of the threat he still poses to us”.
In the case, Judge Patrick Durcan imposed an eight-month jail term on Rowan Taylor, aged 28.
Rowan Taylor pleaded guilty to the harassment of his father between July 9 and November 12, 2014, at Core, Feakle, Co Clare.
Judge Durcan said that he must be punished for his “vile criminal behaviour”.
Before reading out in court Paul Taylor’s victim impact statement, Judge Durcan said it was one of the most compelling he had ever read.
In the statement, Paul Taylor stated: “Our family is and has been devastated by Rowan’s actions against us through email, websites, social networks and in person, which have the sole purpose of hurting us and making our lives as miserable as possible.
“We are on the one hand tormented by his abuse on us and on the other saddened by what has happened to him.”
Paul Taylor stated that after he was granted a three-year protection order against his son in November 2014 “he has continued issuing threats, defamation and insults — dealing with this situation has shocked and hurt us and has dominated our thoughts, conversations, and relationships.”
On the need to change addresses five times over the past 18 months, Paul Taylor said: “I feel in danger because of his threats, his violent language and actions towards me, his various attempts to damage my reputation and livelihood, his fake accusations and attacks upon my character. As a result, I feel disillusioned with much of life”.
Paul Taylor told Judge Durcan that “we do not want to see Rowan in prison”.
Solicitor for Rowan Taylor, Tara Godfrey, said “all families can’t be like the Waltons” and asked Judge Durcan not to convict Rowan Taylor so that he could return to the US and continue with the life that he has built there.
Mr Godfrey said that there has been no verbal contact between Rowan Taylor and Paul Taylor since late 2014.
She said that Rowan Taylor has no previous convictions and is offering €1,000 for charity.
