Man who threatened to leak intimate images of girlfriend loses appeal against prison sentence

By Darragh McCann, The Wicklow People

A man has failed in his appeal against a 16-month prison sentence for repeatedly harassing his former girlfriend and threatening to leak intimate images.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court for a District Court appeal.

He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of breaching a safety order against his former girlfriend. He was originally sentenced to 16 months imprisonment at Bray District Court by Judge David Kennedy.

State solicitor Brian Robinson recapped the evidence heard during the original case. On September 1, 2025, the victim was driving her vehicle when the accused overtook her in traffic. He proceeded to slow down until the victim reached her home.

The second breach occurred on September 5, when the victim received a TikTok friend request from the defendant. On September 7, he created a new Snapchat account. She discovered it as him as his phone number was linked to the account.

Later that same day, it was alleged that he sent her an email which read: “Can I meet you, we need to meet. We need closure.”

The following day, he contacted her on four separate occasions, including an email with the message, “I don’t care what I have to do to get you back”.

A garda testified that on September 9, he was in the victim’s home taking a statement when she received an email stating: “U talk to the garda and everyone get them sexy photos.” The court was told that the accused attached seven photographs of an intimate nature.

The defendant continued to harass and call the victim for the next three days. On September 14, he sent a final email to the victim stating: “You are one bitch. I will never stop. Hide from me, lock me up, I won’t stop.”

In his evidence, Mr Robinson told the court that the accused has nine previous convictions for breaching a protection order. The court was told that the victim obtained a protection order earlier this year, but was forced to seek a safety order due to the defendant’s “non-stop harassment”.

He had previously received a 10-month sentence for breaching a protection order, with the final six months suspended, and was released in August.

A victim impact statement was read aloud by the victim. In it, she said she had known the defendant for eight years and that they had been in a relationship. She said she believed the relationship was behind her and that she wanted peace and to move on with her life.

She told the court that the defendant would not leave her alone and continued to contact her by text and email, which she found intimidating. She said she felt she had no choice but to hope the behaviour would stop.

The victim said that by the end of August, her anxiety had significantly worsened. She described seeing the defendant in a van near her home, an experience that left her fearful for her life. She said that although she was only minutes from home, it felt as though she would not make it there safely.

She told the court that the ongoing fear and stress had a serious impact on her mental health. She said she has a serious health condition and is under medical care, including being prescribed medication for depression.

She remarked that she missed several days of work as a result and that the experience caused a major change in her life, leaving her less independent and affecting her sense of safety and wellbeing.

Background information was provided on the accused, with the court told that he is a tradesman who lives with his parents outside the jurisdiction. The court heard that he was on temporary release, which was clarified to mean he was not on bail. Judge Patrick Quinn asked why he was in custody.

A representative from the Prison Service told the court that he is in custody on unrelated charges and was denied bail.

Thomas Finerty BL, counsel for the defence, told the court that his client “is completely obsessed with her”. Mr Finerty said the accused believed he could win her back. The court was told that prison had frightened the accused, with counsel noting that this sentence marked his first time in custody.

Judge Quinn refused to reduce the sentence handed down in the District Court, citing the distressing nature of the harassment inflicted on the victim as his primary reason.