Courts / Dublin / Report
Man to be sentenced for harassing Sharon Ní Bheoláin
Summary
Conor O'Hora, 41, of Heather Walk, Portmarnock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ní Bheoláin between 27 March 2013 and 7 January 2014 and to three counts of knowingly possessing child pornography. The harassment involved posting over 30 modified photographs of Ní Bheoláin on a website reachable via a Google search of her name. The child‑pornography charges concerned roughly 100 images of children in sexually explicit activity and 40 explicit online conversations between O'Hora and a co‑accused. The images were found on O'Hora's HP Pavilion laptop and iPhone, depicting children aged eight to 17, including three identified children. O'Hora was remanded overnight pending sentencing; Judge Martin Nolan warned that he would certainly face jail for his "debasing behaviour" and "insidious harassment." The court heard that the co‑accused had received an 18‑month suspended sentence earlier this year, now being appealed by the DPP for undue leniency.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man to be sentenced for harassing Sharon Ní Bheoláin. Charges or matters: harassing Ms Ní Bheoláin between March 27, 2013 and January 7, 2014; three counts of knowingly possessing child pornography on a mobile phone and on a computer hard drive at Station Road, Portmarnock on February 18, 2014. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 27, 2013 Incident
- January 7, 2014 Incident
- February 18, 2014 Incident
- January 17, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2018-05-16 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: harassing Ms Ní Bheoláin between March 27, 2013 and January 7, 2014; three counts of knowingly possessing child pornography on a mobile phone and on a computer hard drive at Station Road, Portmarnock on February 18, 2014 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: O'Hora was remanded in custody overnight pending sentencing and Judge Martin Nolan warned he would certainly face jail for what he termed his "debasing behaviour" and "insidious harassment" "I've no doubt it caused considerable distress to the complainant and her family.
Places mentioned
- Station Road
Topics
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