High Court awards garda €8,000 after online harassment

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

The High Court awarded Garda Sgt Conor Gilmartin €8,000 for personal injuries caused by internet posts about him. Mr Justice Michael Twomey made the award at a garda compensation hearing on 15 October 2018.

Sgt Gilmartin said Sean Carraher had been jailed for five years for harassing him between 2009 and 2011. Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced Carraher in 2016 for harassment involving online messages.

Mr Justice Twomey said the award related solely to personal injuries, not injury to character. Sgt Gilmartin said he could not afford to sue Carraher for defamation and his representative body had refused to fund a claim.