A MAN who was jailed just three years ago after killing his aunt on the family farm has been released from prison and is back living in the community, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
asserted
Mail → jail → Sunday
Michael Scott has returned to live on the same family farm in Portumna, Co. Galway, where he killed his aunt, Chrissie Treacy, in 2018.
asserted
he → return → 2018
Some local witnesses who gave evidence in the trial were notified of Scott’s release in advance.
asserted
who → give → advance
The killing of Ms Treacy sent shockwaves throughout the community, and some locals this week said they are ‘disturbed’ by Scott’s return from prison ‘so soon’.
asserted
they → send → prison
Michael Scott has returned to live on the same family farm in Portumna, Co. Galway, where he killed his aunt, Chrissie Treacy, in 2018
One local told the MoS: ‘That’s the price of a life now in Ireland.
asserted
That → return → Ireland
It’s a disgrace and it’s not right.’
asserted
it → ’ → ?
They added, ‘I think people can’t believe it.
asserted
people → add → it
They’re disturbed by it.
asserted
They → disturb → it
He’s back here, but it’s so soon.’
asserted
it → ’ → ?
Scott is understood to be back living on his family farm and is reported to have attended a promotional event for the local Arrabawn Dairies last week.
asserted
Scott → understand → Dairies
Scott, of Gortanumera, Portumna, was initially charged with murdering his aunt Christina ‘Chrissie’ Treacy outside her home in Derryhiney, Portumna, on April 27, 2018.
asserted
Scott → charge → April
A jury found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter on the basis of gross negligence in March of 2023.
asserted
him → find → 2023
He was sentenced to six years in June of that year.
asserted
He → sentence → year
At the Court of Appeal last December, Mr Justice Brian O’Moore reduced Scott’s sentence by 18 months following a successful appeal.
asserted
O’Moore → reduce → appeal
However, the judge had noted that Scott acted in a ‘thuggish’ manner towards his elderly aunt before driving over her in an agricultural teleporter.
asserted
Scott → note → teleporter
Scott’s original trial heard there had been a long-running dispute between Ms Treacy and her nephew over land.
asserted
trial → hear → land
The Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Gardaí had been informed of concerns regarding Ms Treacy’s welfare as a result of Scott’s ill-tempered relationship with her.
asserted
Executive → inform → her
Scott, of Gortanumera, Portumna, was initially charged with murdering his aunt Christina ‘Chrissie’ Treacy outside her home in Derryhiney, Portumna, on April 27, 2018
Ms Treacy and her brothers had farmed about 140 acres at Derryhiney.
asserted
Treacy → charge → Derryhiney
She owned another farm at nearby Kiltormer.
asserted
She → own → Kiltormer
Following the deaths of Ms Treacy’s brothers, Scott was in possession of half the land at Derryhiney, while Ms Treacy owned the other half.
asserted
Treacy → follow → half
She leased her land at Kiltormer and Derryhiney to Scott.
asserted
She → lease → Scott
The original trial heard evidence Scott pushed a friend of Ms Treacy’s off the road in his vehicle.
asserted
Scott → hear → vehicle
On another occasion, he was heard having a loud argument with his aunt about land, banging a table during the heated discussion.
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he → hear → discussion
A solicitor acting for Ms Treacy told the trial of his shock at the ‘utter vehemence and anger’ Scott expressed during a phone call regarding the same issue.
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Scott → act → issue
Another witness said that, about three months prior to the killing, Scott was ‘enraged’ and warned ‘this will end badly’ in reference to the dispute with his aunt.
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this → say → aunt
In early 2017, Scott did not bid to continue leasing the land from Ms Treacy in Kiltormer when it went up for auction.
asserted
it → bid → auction
By Christmas 2017, Ms Treacy had made an application through her solicitor to split the land at Derryhiney and put a new lease on the half she owned.
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she → make → half
Then, in February 2018, her adored Jack Russell dog Bradley ‘vanished’ from her home, an event which the court was told ‘broke her spirit’.
asserted
court → adore → spirit
Following the deaths of Ms Treacy’s brothers, Scott was in possession of half the land at Derryhiney, while Ms Treacy owned the other half
On the day of Ms Treacy’s death, Scott received a letter from an agricultural consultant telling him not to claim payments for parcels of land on the farm he jointly owned with his aunt.
uncertain
he → follow → aunt
Scott told gardaí he was not concerned about the letter and drove to the yard outside his aunt’s home to do some work on the farm.
asserted
he → tell → farm
He said he got into the teleporter and was reversing across the yard when he felt a ‘thump’.
asserted
he → say → thump
The farmer claimed he thought he might have hit a trailer and moved the teleporter forward to level ground.
uncertain
he → claim → ground
He said that when he got down from the cabin, he saw his aunt lying on the ground.
asserted
aunt → say → ground
But instead of immediately calling the emergency services, the court heard, Scott phoned a friend and waited for him to arrive.
asserted
him → call → friend
He later claimed he did not know the number for the local hospital or doctor and that he was not aware a person could contact ambulance services by calling 999.
uncertain
person → claim → 999
Scott described his aunt’s death as a tragic accident.
asserted
Scott → describe → accident
The original trial judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, said Ms Treacy was ‘by all accounts a terrific lady, ahead of her time on farming knowledge and expertise and a boss in a house of men.’
asserted
Treacy → say → men
She also recalled witnesses who described Ms Treacy’s ‘wonderful Irish sense of humour’ and her love of animals, in particular her missing dog Bradley.
asserted
who → recall → animals
The judge said she loved people, engaging with her neighbours and friends and ‘lived life to the fullest’.
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she → say → fullest
She also commended Ms Treacy’s community for the care and support they gave to her during her final years.
asserted
they → commend → years
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
