Eve Doherty jailed for harassing State solicitor

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Eve Doherty was sentenced to three years in prison for harassing State solicitor Elizabeth Howlin. The proceedings were reported on 19 January 2018.

Doherty denied the charges, but a jury found her guilty of harassment. The offence took place between September 2011 and March 2013.

The trial heard that letters and emails were sent to Howlin’s workplace, her boss, her GP and her home over an 18-month period. Separately, A4 posters were left around her housing estate in Blackrock, falsely claiming she was a political appointee who would prevent prosecutions of people connected to her or the Government.

Judge Melanie Greally described the offence as malicious and insidious and said it had a severe impact on Howlin. In sentencing Doherty, the judge considered her lack of previous convictions, the difficulty for a garda in prison, her academic and employment achievements, her kindness to neighbours and her concern for animals.