A man has been jailed for two years for threatening to rape and kill a female garda in Dublin four years ago.

Thomas Delaney (43), with an address at Walkinstown Crescent in Dublin also threatened to shoot another officer and blow his family up.

On the night of January 20th 2010, Garda Amanda King arrested Thomas Delaney in Swords on suspicion of drink driving. After being put into the back of her patrol car, he threatened to rape her.

She had to change her route home from work after he told her he would wait for her some night and put a bullet in her. Her colleague, Garda Patrick Whelan was also threatened.

Delaney told him he was "well connected" with criminal gangs in Crumlin, and that it would be easy to get his hands on a bomb.

He said he knew where he lived and would come to his house, shoot him and blow up his home with all his family inside.

He was sentenced to three years in jail today but the final year was suspended on a number of conditions - including he attend an anger management course.