Teacher jailed for sending ‘deluge’ of threats to staff and school managers

A Co Armagh maths teacher and school vice principal who sent a “deluge” of threatening and intimidating letters to colleagues and managers at education authorities has been given a four year sentence.

Patrick Hollywood (41) had warned that his victims and some of their children would be visited by balaclava-wearing IRA men after he was sanctioned for helping pupils to cheat on maths exams. Newry Crown Court heard he faced losing his job and career at the time.

Some of those targeted watched on as Judge Gordon Kerr QC ordered the accused to serve two years in jail and two under supervised licence conditions. He also imposed five-year orders restraining Hollywood from contacting his victims.

Judge Kerr said Hollywood’s behaviour was aggravated by the fact that he made multiple threats to multiple victims whose fear was increased when he referenced the IRA. He said the offences were “carefully designed to achieve his purpose to dismiss sanctions on his appeal”.

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Hollywood, of Upper Fathom Road, Newry, was a teacher and vice principal at St Patrick’s High School in Keady. He entered guilty pleas to seven charges of making a threat to kill, six of harassment, four of attempted intimidation and single counts of forgery and causing another person to fear that violence would be used against them, all committed between December 31st, 2016 and December 1st, 2018.

Summarising the case, Judge Kerr outlined how in 2017 there were “several whistleblowing reports exposing malpractice and cheating at the school” and the former principal Pat McGuckian began receiving anonymous letters  “demanding that she leave her job” which were allegedly signed by “your loyal and concerned staff”.

An investigation found that there had been cheating and several staff including Hollywood were sanctioned, which would likely have resulted in the loss of his job and hurt his future potential employment.

Judge Kerr said there was evidence that if an appeal to the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) was not finalised, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools would not have upheld the sanctions, an end result which was Hollywood’s motivation.

The court heard that he wrote to the CCEA’s human resources manager threatening “violent action” against her and naming her children.

Hollywood also made threats against her replacement Dr Fionnuala Moore, who replaced Mrs McGuckian. Judge Kerr said she received a letter warning that if she became principal she would be “putting your life and your family’s life in danger”.

Hollywood also claimed to have received threatening letters as he sought to “paint himself as a victim” and create confusion but he refused to hand these over or to cooperate with the police investigation, the court heard.