Court hears of 'threat'.

Byline: By FIONA FERGUSON ..HDLN: 'YOU'LL BE MEETING VERONICA GUERIN'

JOURNALIST Paul Williams claimed yesterday that a man accused of threatening to kill him warned: "You'll be meeting Veronica Guerin."

The Sunday World's crime editor told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court he had "genuine fears for my safety and my family" after hearing the message on his answering machine.

James Walsh, 46, has pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill Mr Williams on June 25, 2003 and also threatening to cause him serious harm later the same day.

Mr Williams told the court he had been in contact with Walsh, from Mountain View Drive, Churchtown in Dublin, about a story.

He claimed that a first abusive message was left on June 24 before others came the next day. In one of these Mr Williams said he was told: "If you print an article about me in the Sunday World you will be meeting Veronica Guerin and I mean that."

Mr Williams added that he had been threatened before but "this was the first time someone told me I would be joining my dead colleague". He contacted gardai but later received another phone call from the same voice which warned "you won't be walking very much longer you f**k."

The trial continues before Judge Desmond Hogan.

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CALLS: Walsh, left, and Williams