Courts / Dublin / Report
Suspended sentence for woman who sent obscene messages to the President
Summary
Anne Fennell, aged 57, received a suspended five‑year sentence for repeatedly making obscene and threatening phone calls to President Michael D. Higgins, the Department of Finance, the European Commission, An Post, and several TDs between February and December 2014. She also pleaded guilty to harassing Fr Desmond Byrne in 2006. The court noted that many of her threats were taken seriously and required significant resources to investigate, but that she had no prior convictions and a vulnerable psychological background. Judge Melanie Greally imposed consecutive sentences totaling five years, suspended in full, and ordered 18 months of probation with psychiatric and therapeutic services. The decision reflected her remorse and the lack of evidence that she could carry out the threats. The case highlighted the seriousness of her conduct and the court's focus on rehabilitation rather than incarceration.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Suspended sentence for woman who sent obscene messages to the President. Charges or matters: making persistent annoying phone calls and sending obscene or menacing phone messages to Aras an Uachtarain, the Department of Finance, the European Commission Representation, An Post Dublin Mail Centre and the constituency offices of TDs Alan Kelly, Aodhan O Riordain and Noel Coonan between February 2 and December 1, 2014; harassing Fr Desmond Byrne at an address in Clondalkin on dates between September and October 2006. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- April 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 2 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 1, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2006 Hearing Or Sentence
- November 18, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 26, 2014 Other
- November 17 Other
- December 2014 Other
- November 2014 Other
- October 2005 Other
- November 2006 Incident
- 2016-11-17 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: making persistent annoying phone calls and sending obscene or menacing phone messages to Aras an Uachtarain, the Department of Finance, the European Commission Representation, An Post Dublin Mail Centre and the constituency offices of TDs Alan Kelly, Aodhan O Riordain and Noel Coonan between February 2 and December 1, 2014; harassing Fr Desmond Byrne at an address in Clondalkin on dates between September and October 2006 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: She imposed consecutive sentences totalling five years which she suspended in full and ordered 18 months probation supervision to include availing of psychiatric and therapeutic services within the community.
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