Courts / Kildare / Report
'Vile' garda who 'made life hell' for terminally ill partner through coercive control is jailed
Summary
Paul Moody, a former Garda, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison for coercive control and related offences against a terminally‑ill partner. Over a four‑year period, he sent more than 30,000 threatening and abusive messages, threatened violence, took secret photographs, and threatened to post them online. He also stole her keys, caused criminal damage, and physically assaulted her on several occasions. Moody pleaded guilty to a charge of coercive control covering 2019‑2020 and to 19 other counts including harassment, assault, criminal damage, theft and threats to kill. The court noted his guilty plea and the absence of prior convictions, and reduced the maximum five‑year sentence to the stated term. He will lose his Garda position and is remanded in custody pending the decision on a psychological report. The sentencing judge highlighted the severity of his conduct and the impact on the victim.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Vile' garda who 'made life hell' for terminally ill partner through coercive control is jailed. Charges or matters: a charge of coercive control in relation to the woman within the State on dates between January 1, 2019 and November 30, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- July 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 1, 2019 Incident
- November 30, 2020 Incident
- March 2021 Incident
- May 2017 Other
- December 2017 Other
- November 23 Other
- March 31, 2020 Other
- November 2017 Incident
- October 2018 Incident
- 2022-07-26 Publication
Why: The woman said she felt like Moody knew what was going on in her mind because he had access to her phone. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: a charge of coercive control in relation to the woman within the State on dates between January 1, 2019 and November 30, 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Photo: Collins) By Sonya McLean A serving garda who "made life hell" for his terminally-ill partner during a four-year campaign of harassment, threats, assaults and coercive control has been jailed for three years and three months. He said Moody's behaviour was at the highest end of the offence but the court had to take his guilty plea into consideration and he reduced a five-year headline sentence to three years and three months.; On Monday, Judge Nolan had adjourned the case overnight to allow him to consider an application by Mr Gillane to adjourn the case pending the preparation of a psychological report.
Places mentioned
Topics
Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime
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