Anna Byrne and Coleman Byrne, neighbours in Dublin 6, accused Arjita Chawla (54) of repeated harassment and abuse from 2011 to 2021. Chawla, who lived next door, repeatedly called the Byrnes derogatory names, blocked their cars, sent over 600 complaint emails, recorded them on video, and left dog faeces at their doorstep. She also called Gardaí on them more than 100 times, including on Christmas Eve. Chawla pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening or abusive words or behaviour. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to one month in prison on each count, to run concurrently, and imposed a 15‑year restriction preventing her from approaching the Byrnes' address within 100 metres. The court noted her guilty plea and remorse as mitigating factors. The case was described as an unusual escalation from neighbourly dispute to sustained harassment.
Martin Cunningham, 28, of Mulhuddart, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for a sustained campaign of harassment against his former partner while he was in Mountjoy Prison. Between 1 January and 30 March 2021, he made 3,800 calls, many from a private or blocked number, and left voicemails threatening to kill or cause serious harm. The court found the calls were made from prison, where he should not have had a phone, and that they were part of a callous, calculating, cruel and sustained course of harassment. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, back‑dated to 10 August 2021, and suspended the final six months for two years on strict conditions, including probation supervision for one year after release. The sentence also directed Cunningham to avoid any contact with the victim while in custody and during the suspended period. Martin Cunningham pleaded guilty.
Tech entrepreneur Ian Lucey was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay €19,713.45 to software developer Abhijeet Khopade for unpaid wages. Khopade, who earned €66,000 a year as senior technology manager at BioObservation Systems Ltd, had been given assurances that his arrears for 2019 and 2020 would be paid, but received only intermittent payments. Lucey defended the claim personally at a June 2021 hearing, stating the company had paid the amounts due, and also alleged that Khopade had harassed him and that the company had lost grant aid because of Khopade. The adjudicating officer noted that Lucey had turned his camera off during the hearing and that no payslips existed to support the payments. The Commission found the payments did not meet the wages accruing within the cognisable period and ordered Lucey to pay the full amount owed.
A former senior manager at Trinity College Dublin, Brendan Leahy, claims he was unfairly dismissed from his €120,000-a-year post after the university learned that he had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an American tourist in 2018. The Workplace Relations Commission is hearing his complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Leahy was given a suspended three‑month sentence by Dublin District Court, required to complete a sex offenders course and pay a fine and compensation. He appealed to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and received the benefit of the Probation Act in August 2021. Trinity placed him on paid leave and launched an investigation in August 2021, following a second allegation of sexual harassment from a former employee, Ms X, who accused him of miming oral sex at a karaoke party. Leahy argues the investigations were procedurally flawed and pre‑determined, citing the Probation Act order as a basis for dismissal of his conviction.
In December 2022, retired MMA fighter Artem Lobov filed High Court proceedings against Conor McGregor, alleging a series of harassing, intimidating and defamatory posts on McGregor's Twitter account. Lobov claims that McGregor repeatedly referred to him as a "rat" in a song and other tweets, and that a picture of Lobov was superimposed on a packet of raw sausages. He also alleges that McGregor's father sent him pictures of rats and a snake as part of the campaign. Lobov's lawyers sought an undertaking to cease and desist from such posts and an order to remove them. The court granted permission to serve short notice of the injunction but declined a temporary injunction pending McGregor's response. The application is set to return to the court by Thursday of that week. The case is part of a broader legal dispute between the two former friends, including a commercial disagreement over a whiskey brand sale.
Ryan Dowling, aged 20, was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment for his role in a violent disorder incident on South William Street, Dublin, on 17 June 2021. While on bail, Dowling was part of a group of four men who harassed a heavily pregnant woman dining with her partner, threw furniture and beer cans at restaurant staff, and threw a wine bottle at a worker. Garda Eoin McLoughlin reported that staff intervened and the brawl was captured on mobile phones. The court heard that Dowling was not the chief aggressor, that he had consumed a large amount of alcohol, and that he had a history of 16 prior convictions. He pleaded guilty, apologized, and the judge noted his young age and lack of maturity as mitigating factors. The judge imposed a two‑year sentence, with fourteen months suspended, and strict conditions for release. The final custodial term is ten months.
The Irish Whiskey Museum was ordered to pay €22,540 to former general manager Nicola McDonnell after a Workplace Relations Commission hearing found she was subjected to "unacceptable" pressure when her marriage to co‑founder Keith McDonnell broke down. McDonnell alleged that from July 2020 she was harassed, bullied, excluded and denied access to the museum and her email, and that her husband threatened her with Gardaí and called her a "common thief" over alleged whiskey theft. She said she had no choice but to resign due to the hostile environment. McDonnell claimed constructive dismissal under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and was not paid the €5,928 redundancy sum she sought. The commission upheld her complaint, noting the emails and warnings from McDonnell that she was no longer wanted as an employee, and ruled the pressure was unacceptable and that her resignation was reasonable. The museum must pay the compensation.
A primary school girl and her father have filed High Court proceedings against the school's board of management, alleging the school failed to protect the girl from a boy in her class who has bullied, harassed and assaulted her over the last two and a half years. The boy is said to have pushed, kicked, used inappropriate language, thrown a book, pulled up the girl's skirt, and pulled her up in front of other students. After the girl reported the boy's behaviour to a teacher, she was allegedly bullied in reprisal. The father claims meetings with the principal did not resolve his concerns and that the school has not treated the boy's conduct as bullying or harassment. He also says the school has refused to seat the two children apart and has not given reasons for refusing his requests. The boy's recent act of kicking the girl caused injury and medical attention.
Michael Molumby, a lab analyst at Pinewood Healthcare Laboratories, claimed that investigators, including former Garda detective Kevin Sweeney and former regulator Stan O'Neill, ambushed him during a data audit in summer 2020, alleging intimidation and blackmail. He said the interview was hostile, that he was offered an amnesty that felt like blackmail, and that he left without signing a notepad. Molumby argued the investigation was humiliating and an assault on his good name. The Workplace Relations Commission found no evidence of intimidation or harassment, no threat to his job, and that his resignation in September 2020 was within his rights. The tribunal rejected his constructive dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, concluding the investigation was normal and that Molumby had not exhausted internal grievance procedures before resigning. The decision was published on 14 December 2022. Michael Molumby had the case dismissed.
In a case heard by the Workplace Relations Commission, Shannon Holland, a care worker at Ability West, alleged sexual harassment by a senior colleague. The complaint, lodged in December 2019, led to the senior employee's dismissal in 2020 after investigations found "adverse findings" against him. The investigation report, completed six and a half months after the complaint, confirmed Holland's allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct, including working under the influence of alcohol and scheduling himself to work alone with a female colleague, Ms Y. Holland was told she was not entitled to a copy of the final report, although the senior employee received one. The HR director explained that the report was shared with Holland verbally but not in written form, citing the ongoing disciplinary process. The case remains pending a decision from the adjudicating officer.
A 42‑year‑old man who sent his former partner more than 300 threatening and abusive messages over a two‑week period was given a suspended sentence of 22 months. Judge Elma Sheahan ordered him not to contact the woman, the mother of his children, in any way for two years, except through a nominated third party for Family Court matters. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of harassing the woman between 14 and 29 January 2021 and to two counts of breaching a safety order in January and February 2021. The court considered his seven previous convictions and the fact that he had accessed the woman's email via their son's tablet, finding sexual images and an image of another man. He threatened to send the images to her close family and, after being blocked on WhatsApp, used another messenger app to continue the harassment.
Michael Murray, a convicted rapist and child abductor, lost a High Court challenge to a disciplinary sanction imposed by the Governor of the Midlands Prison after he threw a bible at Judge Karen O'Connor during a sentencing hearing in July 2021. The sanction, which removes ordinary privileges for 40 days, was applied following a complaint by prison officers who had attended the court. Murray had been sentenced to 16 years for threatening barristers and harassing others involved in his trial, and had previously been convicted of rape and child abduction. In his appeal, Murray argued that the Governor had no authority to impose the sanction while he was in court custody, but Mr Justice Charles Meenan ruled that the Governor was lawfully entitled to discipline him under the 2007 Prison Rules Act. The case will return for final orders later this month.
A technical training company, Socrates Workforce Solutions Ltd, was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay former lecturer Kathleen Ryan nearly €90,000 after she was sexually harassed by a colleague, Mr A, in a classroom on 27 April 2021. The commission found the company vicariously liable for the harassment and sexual assault, noting a flawed investigation that left Ms Ryan confused and Mr A feeling vindicated. Ms Ryan's complaints alleged discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998 and penalisation under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. The tribunal recorded that Mr A had entered the classroom uninvited, leered at Ms Ryan, and sexually assaulted her while she assisted a student. Mr A later harassed her via WhatsApp and LinkedIn. The company's internal investigation issued a written warning to Mr A, but the commission deemed the response inadequate.
Marlies Walsh, 50, of Pedlers Cross, Clonakilty, pleaded guilty to one count of harassment at Temple Street Hospital, Dublin, after contacting a doctor and hospital staff by phone and email from December 2017 to August 2020. She sought a patient‑advocacy role for her 20‑year‑old son, a kidney‑transplant patient, but the hospital declined. Walsh repeatedly called, emailed, and visited the hospital, sending parcels that alarmed the doctor. A formal complaint was made to Gardaí in February 2019. She was charged in April 2020 and faced bail conditions to stay away from the hospital, which she initially breached. In August 2020 she complied. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a two‑year sentence, suspended on strict conditions, and banned Walsh from contacting the doctor or the hospital for 20 years. The court noted her guilty plea, good character, and the stress of her son's illness.
Kasia Czernik, a former RTÉ newsreader, claims she was sexually harassed by senior colleague Noel Fogarty through texts, emails and phone calls from 18 to 21 June 2021, just ten days before her wedding. She filed a complaint with the Workplace Relations Commission under the Employment Equality Act 1999, alleging RTÉ failed to inform her of the disciplinary sanction against Fogarty, who was dismissed in September 2021. Fogarty was suspended pending investigation, and RTÉ removed his security access. HR head Tanya McNulty testified that Fogarty was instructed not to contact Czernik and that meetings with Czernik were held to discuss security and her concerns. Czernik's solicitor Barry Crushell argued that victims should know the consequences faced by harassers, while RTÉ's counsel defended the broadcaster's privacy obligations. The tribunal has not yet issued a decision. The case is ongoing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 November 2022, Karen Sutherland, aged 59, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment for sending over 2,000 menacing phone messages to her former computer teacher and another victim between 1 December 2011 and 31 July 2012. The messages included threats, false accusations of rape, and hateful language, some allegedly from a former pupil. Sutherland also sent abusive messages to her own phone to appear as a victim. The court noted her lack of explanation to Gardaí and her ill health, including osteoporosis and use of a walking frame. Judge Martin Nolan described her actions as having a "malign purpose" and causing traumatic effects. She was sentenced to a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term fully suspended, with a permanent prohibition on any intentional contact with the victims. No prior convictions were recorded.
Mark Byrne, 50, a former drug dealer, had been jailed for seven years in 2014 after stabbing his ex‑partner's new boyfriend with a kitchen knife, causing a life‑threatening kidney injury. After his release, he sent 12 threatening voice messages to the woman on the evening of 12 February 2021, claiming he would return to prison for the "right reasons" and that he was "stupid enough to make a point". The messages were recorded and used as evidence. Byrne pleaded guilty to harassment and to possession of cannabis for sale. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for each offence, to run concurrently, and ordered Byrne no future contact with the victim. The sentences were back‑dated to the date Byrne entered custody in February 2021. No further details of the case are provided in the article.
Eoin Hannan, 49, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing Ciara Hassett, whom he mistakenly believed to be another woman. Hannan had a history of 44 convictions, including assault and criminal damage, and had been warned by Gardaí in 2017 and 2019 that Hassett did not welcome his behaviour. Despite these warnings, he continued to contact her, sending flowers, wine, chocolates, a watch, a bracelet, a teddy bear, a lollipop, and a letter containing a threatening phrase. He also attempted to contact her workplace and her father, who refused to provide her number. During the trial, Hannan denied the charge, but the court found he had never met Hassett and that his mental health issues, including bipolar disorder, were at the root of his offending. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
Kyle Walsh, 30, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary and making a threat at his former partner's home on 30 December 2019. In a "spasm of jealousy," he threw a brick at the door, entered the house, and threatened to kill her before leaving. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the offence as frightening and serious, noting Walsh's lack of prior convictions and that the incident had not recurred. He acknowledged mitigation through Walsh's plea, cooperation and good work history, but considered the seriousness of the conduct. Nolan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, suspended in full, and ordered Walsh to avoid unnecessary contact with the victim. The court warned that any further harassment would result in imprisonment. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill urged women who receive unwanted sexual messages to contact Gardaí after a man sent her explicit videos during the 2020 election campaign. Gerard Culhane, 43, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing the TD at unknown locations between 13 January and 26 March 2020. He was given a suspended one‑year prison sentence and ordered to stay away from the TD and her workplace. Carroll MacNeill, who has no previous convictions, highlighted that her position as an elected representative added extra interest to the case and that other women also face unwanted advances. She thanked the court, the DPP, Detective Sergeant Rachel Kilpatrick and her Fine Gael colleagues for their support, and stressed that the criminal justice system is there to help victims. The TD's remarks were made outside the court on the day of the sentencing.
Gerard Culhane, 43, pleaded guilty to harassing Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill with 13 messages, including three sexually explicit videos, between 13 January and 26 March 2020. The court found the harassment particularly disturbing because it occurred during the general election campaign when the TD was meeting the public. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a one‑year custodial sentence suspended for 12 months on strict conditions and ordered Culhane to have no contact with the TD in person, by social media or through a third party for five years. He was also directed to stay away from the TD's workplace at Leinster House, her constituency offices and her residence. The sentence reflected mitigating factors such as the guilty plea, lack of prior convictions and cooperation with Gardaí, while aggravating factors included the volume of messages and the impact on the TD's safety and election activities.
A former RTÉ newsreader, Noel Fogarty, withdrew his unfair dismissal complaint after drunken texts to a younger colleague were read at a Workplace Relations Commission hearing. Fogarty had claimed unfair dismissal under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 following his September 2021 sacking for gross misconduct. The texts, sent while intoxicated, were described as "utterly inappropriate" and "sexually harassing" by RTÉ's barrister Mairead McKenna SC. Fogarty admitted the messages were inappropriate but denied a sexual intent, citing excessive alcohol consumption. The hearing included testimony from the colleague, identified as 'Ms X', who described feeling uncomfortable, stressed, and physically affected by the messages. Fogarty accepted the inappropriateness, apologized, and requested alternatives to punitive sanctions. After deliberation, he formally withdrew his claim, signing the withdrawal papers before the hearing closed.
A teenage waitress who left her job after her employer made inappropriate remarks about her appearance has been awarded €2,500 in compensation for sexual harassment. The girl told the Workplace Relations Commission that the man tried to hug her as she left and later told her she should be grateful to have a job. The restaurant owner, who cannot be named, claimed he had spoken to the waitress about her dress code and said she was dressed inappropriately. The waitress denied this and explained she had gone to her employer to clarify that she was wearing the wrong shoes due to a hole. The boss then lifted her jacket and told her she couldn't wear leggings because they made her 'ass too sexy'. The waitress said she felt uncomfortable and had a panic attack. When she tried to leave, the employer stood in the doorway and tried to hug her, telling her she couldn't go home.
Eoin Hickey, aged 23, was sentenced to 16 months in jail for the prolonged, persistent and serious harassment of a teenage girl, who was 15 to 18 at the time of the abuse. Hickey sent hundreds of sexually explicit messages and videos, including a male masturbating video and messages such as "suck my dick" and "give us a wank." He created fake online accounts to bypass safety measures and stalked the victim, who feared a school acquaintance and avoided school and social outings. The victim, now 20, described constant terror and lasting trust issues. Hickey, diagnosed with developmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder at 14, was warned by Gardaí but continued the harassment. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the final 20 months, and imposed conditions that Hickey must have no further contact with the victim. He has since joined a restaurant job and a rugby club for people with special needs. Eoin Hickey pleaded guilty.
At the Workplace Relations Commission in Dublin, broadcaster Blathnaid Ní Chofaigh withdrew her statutory complaints of sexual harassment and victimisation against RTÉ. The matter was before adjudicating officer Breiffni O'Neill, who had previously issued directions prohibiting the media from naming witnesses or individuals identified in an internal investigation report. Ms Ní Chofaigh's barrister, Claire Bruton BL, stated that her client accepted the outcome of RTÉ's internal investigation processes. Counsel confirmed that the parties agreed to "draw a line in the sand" to preserve their ongoing working relationship, and explicitly noted that no compensation was paid to the applicant. RTÉ's counsel, Mairéad McKenna SC, confirmed this position. Although four days of adjudication hearings were originally scheduled to commence, the claim was withdrawn at the hearing. Ms Ní Chofaigh did not attend the session, while RTÉ staff and members of the public were present. The withdrawal concludes the procedural stage of the hearing, with the applicant formally abandoning the allegations of discrimination and victimisation lodged under the Employment Equality Act.
John Woodlock, 42, was given a suspended three‑year sentence for harassing a solicitor over a three‑month period from 17 August to 18 November 2021. He had approached the woman near her home, repeatedly called and emailed her, and visited her street, sometimes pointing at a wall with her initials and handing her a document he claimed was a charge sheet. He sent her private messages, tagged her in tweets, and called her a "bitch" in an email. The woman documented the harassment with screenshots and forwarded them to Gardaí. Woodlock was arrested in November 2021, detained under the Mental Health Act, and later released on bail. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and has complied with bail conditions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended sentence, requiring Woodlock to raise €3,000 for the woman within 18 months and forbidding any contact with her forever. If he contacts her again, the suspended term may be re‑activated.
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.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 43‑year‑old terminally‑ill woman gave a victim impact statement about her former partner, a 42‑year‑old Garda, who had harassed, threatened, assaulted, stolen from and controlled her for over four years after meeting online in 2017. She described how he sent more than 30,000 messages, including 652 in a single 14‑hour period, and threatened to kill her, steal her cancer medication, and record her at the hospital where he told her he was there to "watch her bleed to death". The man pleaded guilty to coercive control and 19 other counts, including assault, theft and threats to kill. He was suspended from duty in March 2021 and is set to resign. The court adjourned the case to consider a psychological report, with the man remanded pending the decision. The woman urged others in similar situations to come forward.
The Disclosures Tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Sean Ryan, concluded oral hearings today at Dublin Castle regarding the claims of retired Garda Sergeant Paul Barry. Mr Barry alleges he was targeted by superiors after making a protected disclosure in October 2012 concerning the handling of an alleged child sexual assault in Co Cork. He claims Superintendent Michael Comyns prevented a proper investigation and subsequently bullied and harassed him. Supt Comyns denies these allegations, describing the complaints as unfounded and vexatious. The tribunal also heard that the DPP directed no prosecution for the original child abuse allegation in 2015, citing a lack of evidence, and similarly directed no prosecution for Mr Barry's claim that Supt Comyns perverted the course of justice. Counsel for Mr Barry, Shane Costelloe SC, argued that senior gardaí showed flagrant disregard for his medical certification and victimised him through attempted transfers. Conversely, John Fitzgerald SC for the Commissioner stated that superiors engaged highly with Mr Barry and that belief alone is not evidence of targeting. Mark Harty SC for Supt Comyns argued that the alleged detriment began before the disclosure, undermining the protected disclosure claim. Mr Justice Ryan praised the professional conduct of all parties and stated he hopes to issue the tribunal's report before the end of the year. The matter is adjourned pending the written decision.
Paul Boyle, 45, was arrested after an off‑duty Garda spotted him taking intimate photographs of a Luas passenger. A search of his phone revealed 40,000 images of women and girls, including up‑skirt shots of schoolgirls. A subsequent warrant uncovered over half a million images on a flash drive, with 275,800 depicting women's groins and buttocks, taken between June 2018 and January 2020. The same drive also contained a disturbing child‑pornography video showing an eight‑year‑old child bound and raped, a material first reported to Irish authorities in 2002. Boyle had prior convictions in Scotland. He pleaded guilty to harassment and possession of child pornography. The court sentenced him to three years for harassment and five years for possession, suspending the final two and a half years, and imposed two years of post‑release supervision and a ban on contact with victims.
A 42‑year‑old Dublin martial arts instructor was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for sexually exploiting three teenage students aged 13‑14 between September and October 2014. He pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation, having harassed the girls with daily "creepy" texts, groping, kissing and threatening to drop them from the gym if they resisted. The court noted he had previously been convicted of driving offences, property damage and theft, and had been extradited from the UK where he had served three years of a six‑year sentence. Judge Martin Nolan described the conduct as a serious breach of trust and manipulation, and the sentence was back‑dated to account for time already served. The victims were described as innocent, and a victim impact statement was submitted but not read aloud.
The Workplace Relations Commission has dismissed a discrimination claim brought by Dorin Dusa against Heatons Unlimited Company and security contractor Bidvest Noonan (ROI) Ltd. Dusa alleged he was harassed and assaulted by a security guard at a Blanchardstown store in August 2020 for refusing to wear a face mask, claiming a medical exemption based on disability. During the hearing, Dusa refused to disclose his medical records to opposing counsel or the public, demanding that adjudicating officer Penelope McGrath review them privately. He also attempted to compel the defending barrister to reveal his own medical history. Andrew Reilly, representing Bidvest Noonan, cross-examined Dusa, who admitted he did not report the alleged incident to gardaí. Bidvest Noonan stated it conducted a thorough investigation and wholly rejected the claims. In her decision, McGrath found that Dusa failed to prove he had a valid medical exemption or that he informed the guard of his disability on the day. She noted that Dusa raised the possibility of an exemption without proving it and that the security guard eventually allowed him to enter the shop. The adjudicator ruled that Dusa did not establish a prima facie case for either respondent to answer, finding that neither Heatons nor Bidvest Noonan discriminated against him.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 1 July 2022, Mr Justice Tony Hunt instructed a jury that the key question was whether Wayne Cooney, 31, was the cyclist who shot Jordan Davis, 22, on 22 May 2019. Cooney, who lives on Glenshane Drive, Tallaght, had pleaded not guilty to the murder, to possession of a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol, and to possession of ammunition in circumstances implying unlawful use. The prosecution alleged Cooney stalked Davis for three days, fired eight bullets that hit Davis three times, and that Davis owed €70,000 to a local drug dealer, the brother of Cooney's former girlfriend. Cooney denied being the cyclist, and his barrister said the case had "large holes" and did not prove beyond reasonable doubt. Mr Justice Hunt told the jury to focus on proving Cooney's identity as the shooter and to disregard other matters. The judge would resume his charge on Monday.
Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh's sexual harassment claim against RTÉ at the Workplace Relations Commission has been adjourned to September 8th because several key defence witnesses have contracted Covid‑19. The hearing, originally scheduled for 29 June at Lansdowne House, Dublin 4, was postponed after only the legal teams of both parties appeared. Ms Ní Chofaigh alleges gender discrimination through sexual harassment in July 2019 and subsequent victimisation, claims denied by RTÉ. Mairead McKenna SC, representing RTÉ, applied for the adjournment citing the witnesses' illness, and the request was accepted by the adjudicating officer, Breiffni O'Neill. O'Neill also directed the press not to name any witnesses and to exclude the public from the hearing room when evidence about an alleged incident at a hotel photoshoot in July 2019 is presented. The case is expected to last four days, possibly a fifth, with Ms Ní Chofaigh's primary evidence estimated at three to four hours.
In a 2022 decision, the Workplace Relations Commission awarded Andrzej Waszkiewicz €15,000 for racial and religious harassment at Allpro Services. Waszkiewicz, a Polish Catholic, claimed his supervisor, Mr A, failed to act when a colleague, Mr C, laughed at his Jesus tattoo, insulted the Pope, and called him a "rat" and "snitch." He also alleged Mr A threatened to extort money by staging an accident. Waszkiewicz reported the incidents to HR, who offered a site transfer that he declined, and later he was made redundant. The commission found his account credible, noting a lack of formal investigation and witness evidence. It ordered the company to pay €10,000 for religious harassment and €5,000 for racial harassment, and to develop and communicate an anti‑bullying policy.
Sean Kershaw, 38, of Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to harassment for a four‑month period from 1 January to 11 April 2021. He placed a tablet in his ex‑partner's kitchen to secretly film her and accessed her emails and WhatsApp. Garda Jessica Maguire testified that the device recorded for 36 days and that Kershaw had also accessed her laptop and copied messages. Kershaw admitted watching her from the kitchen window on three occasions and had approached her new partner, telling him not to disclose their encounter. He was arrested on 13 April 2021 and had a tablet and phone seized. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year jail sentence, suspended for three years on the condition of good behaviour, and ordered Kershaw to have no contact with his former partner except for child‑access arrangements. He was also ordered to destroy all recordings and hand over any other material to Gardaí.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 15‑year‑old schoolboy was found guilty of one count of harassment for sending sexually explicit material to his teacher over a year from August 2018 to October 2019. The boy, who had no prior convictions, sent anonymous images and videos, including photos of the teacher with semen and a video of someone ejaculating on her image, and threatened to stop unless she responded. He also impersonated her on fake social media accounts to obtain more images. The teacher, who was unaware of the sender's identity, suffered significant anxiety and avoided going out during the harassment. The boy pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, suspended on conditions that he have no contact with the teacher for life. The judge noted his age, mental health issues, and lack of criminal history as mitigating factors.
In a Disclosures Tribunal hearing, Inspector Anthony O'Sullivan denied that he visited GP Dr. Margaret Kiely's surgery to investigate a medical certificate issued to retired Garda Sergeant Paul Barry. O'Sullivan said he had never seen a certificate stating a person was fit to return to work but should not attend their workplace, and that he was asked by Chief Superintendent Gerard Dillane to check the certificate's validity. Barry, who claimed he was bullied and harassed by senior Gardaí, said the visit was targeted and made him upset and intimidated. Dr. Kiely reported that Barry was unfit for duty in August 2012 due to work‑related stress and issued a certificate allowing him to return to work on March 29, 2013 with conditions that he not work at Fermoy Garda Station. The certificate was back‑dated to March 28, 2013. Barry said he had never had a medical certificate questioned in his service.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old woman testified that her former partner, aged 41, sent her more than 300 messages over two weeks in January 2021, describing the harassment as having "destroyed the best part of me." The accused accessed the victim's email via her son's tablet while the children were with him, found sexual images and a picture of another man, and called her at 1.30 am to accuse her of texting another man and sending sexual images. He sent the images he claimed were found on her email, calling her a "slut" and "sleazy." Garda Padraig Guinan reported 300 WhatsApp messages and 34 text messages were sent daily between 14 and 29 January. The accused threatened to send the images to the victim's close family. He was blocked on WhatsApp but continued to text her on another messenger app. The unnamed 34-year-old pleaded guilty.
A retired senior garda officer, Sergeant Paul Barry, has alleged that Chief Supt Catherine Kehoe's investigation into his bullying and harassment complaints was a 'sham' and that the 'inordinate' time taken to conclude inquiries amounted to 'perverting the course of justice'. The Disclosures Tribunal is examining these claims, which relate to a 2012 complaint by Barry that the proper investigation of a child sexual assault allegation was prevented by Supt Michael Comyns, who he alleges also bullied and harassed him. The Director of Public Prosecutions directed there be no prosecution of the child sexual assault allegation in 2015 due to a lack of evidence. Chief Supt Kehoe, who investigated Barry's complaints, stated that she only learned from tribunal documents that Barry had accused her of targeting him by taking an 'inordinate' amount of time investigating his complaints. She explained that there were 'three arms' to the investigation, all concluded in May 2016, and that the process was delayed by various factors, including Barry's civil action and movement of investigators. Chief Supt Kehoe denied the allegations against her, calling them 'very disturbing, totally unfounded and hurtful'. The tribunal continues on Thursday before retired judge Chairman Sean Ryan.
A Mayo native has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, with sixteen months suspended, following his conviction for a sustained harassment campaign against a former tenant at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Thomas Armstrong, aged forty-six, of Addison Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to harassment of the complainant between August 2016 and August 2018. The court heard that following a rental dispute, Armstrong engaged in a calculated course of intimidation involving multiple forms of abuse. These included making anonymous complaints to Dublin City Council regarding the complainant's parents' property, creating a fraudulent social media account in her name with photographs and false posts, and advertising tickets using her contact details. Judge Melanie Greally described the offending as an "extreme violation" of the complainant's privacy and peace of mind. Armstrong brought four thousand euros to court as a gesture of remorse, which was redirected to Pieta House after the complainant declined it. He was issued a forty-year non-contact order and a five-hundred-metre exclusion zone from the complainant's residence and workplace.
In a Disclosures Tribunal hearing, Chief Superintendent Gerard Dillane described a medical certificate issued to Sergeant Paul Barry as "taken aback" and "frustrating." The certificate, written by Dr Margaret‑Anne Kiely in April 2013, declared Barry fit to return to work but prohibited him from attending Fermoy Garda Station, citing work‑related stress and an unsafe environment. Dillane said he had never seen such a certificate in his 34‑year career and feared it could set a trend. He explained that the certificate's conditions were "neither reasonable nor practicable," and that he offered Barry a transfer to Glanmire or another station, which Barry refused. Barry had been absent for 239 days from August 2012 and returned to work on 29 March 2013 after financial pressure. The tribunal continues to examine the allegations of bullying and harassment involving Barry, Supt Michael Comyns, and senior Gardaí.
A 35‑year‑old man was sentenced to four years in prison for a series of violent and harassing acts against his partner. He admitted to attacking her, fracturing her eye socket, threatening to kill her, and making over 1,000 abusive phone calls between December 2020 and January 2021. He also threatened to set her on fire and sent threatening messages on Facebook. The judge described the videos of his conduct as "disturbing, terrifying and frightening to watch" and noted his long history of offending, drug and alcohol abuse, and poor engagement with probation. He pleaded guilty to harassment, threats to kill, and assault. The court imposed a four‑year sentence, suspended the final year of a five‑year term, and banned him from contacting the victim, while also binding him over to keep the peace for two years after release.
Paul Barry, a retired Garda sergeant from Mitchelstown, claims that in 2012 he was instructed by Superintendent Michael Comyns to conceal an alleged child sexual abuse case involving a suspect linked to senior Gardaí. Barry says Comyns also bullied and harassed him, leading Barry to file a complaint in October 2012. The Director of Public Prosecutions later decided not to prosecute the child abuse allegation, and in November 2015 the DPP also declined to prosecute Barry's claim that Comyns had perverted the course of justice due to insufficient evidence. Barry alleges that Comyns directed him to cover up the abuse and that he was subsequently targeted, refusing to attend briefings and phone calls from Comyns. Barry maintains that the allegations are unfounded, while Comyns denies any wrongdoing. The Disclosures Tribunal is hearing the case in Dublin Castle, with Barry presenting his evidence and the opposing counsel arguing against the allegations. The tribunal will resume its hearings next week.
In a Disclosures Tribunal hearing in Dublin Castle, retired Garda Sergeant Paul Barry accused the Garda Síochána of mishandling a 2012 complaint he made about the investigation of a child sexual assault allegation. Barry claimed that Superintendent Michael Comyns had bullied and harassed him, and that the investigation was prevented. He said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) later decided not to prosecute the child assault case. Barry alleged that Chief Superintendent Catherine Kehoe, appointed to investigate his bullying and harassment complaints, had delayed the investigation, "perverting the course of justice" by not treating his complaint promptly. Kehoe's reports, submitted in 2013, 2015 and 2016, found no evidence of misconduct by Comyns and no breach of Garda regulations. Barry maintained that the investigation was a sham, biased and lacked morality, sentiment and conscience, and that the sequence of investigations was improper.
Paul Barry, a retired Garda sergeant from Mitchelstown, claims he was bullied and harassed by senior Gardaí, including Superintendent Michael Comyns and Chief Superintendent Gerard Dillane. He says a 2012 complaint about a child sexual assault investigation was suppressed, and the DPP later decided no prosecution would occur. Barry alleges he was forced to return to work in 2013 without a medical certificate, despite GP advice that he should not. He reports that he was unfit for duty for 239 days due to work‑related stress and bullying. Barry says he was pressured to apply for a transfer, which he refused because it would have financial consequences. He also claims he was forced to attend a golf duty in 2014 that made him physically sick, leading him to submit a retirement application immediately afterwards. The tribunal is hearing his evidence in Dublin Castle.
Retired Garda Sergeant Paul Barry testified at the Disclosures Tribunal in Dublin Castle regarding allegations of bullying and harassment by Superintendent Michael Comyns and targeting by Chief Superintendent Gerard Dillane. The tribunal is currently hearing evidence at the trial stage. Sgt Barry, formerly of Mitchelstown Garda Station, claimed he was forced to return to work in 2013 without a medical certificate due to financial pressure, as his absence was recorded as an 'ordinary injury' rather than a work-related illness, resulting in reduced wages. He stated he 'hated' returning to work and felt deliberately targeted to be punished financially. Sgt Barry alleged that Supt Comyns prevented the proper investigation of a child sexual assault allegation, which the DPP later directed not to prosecute in November 2015 due to lack of evidence. He further claimed that one alleged suspect was connected to senior gardaí, including Superintendent John Quilter and Chief Superintendent Anthony Quilter. Sgt Barry reported being unfit for duty from August 2012 to March 2013 due to work-related stress. His GP advised against his return without conditions, specifically avoiding contact with Supt Comyns. The tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Sean Ryan, is examining these nine allegations, including claims of perverting the course of justice and compromised investigations.
During a 2022 sentencing hearing, Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill recounted how 43‑year‑old Gerard Culhane sent her thirteen messages, including three sexually explicit videos, between January and March 2020. She described feeling a "cold sense of dread" and fearing for her safety amid the general election campaign. The videos were downloaded from a pornographic website and sent from a Facebook account named "Kevin Walsh." Carroll MacNeill expressed that the harassment disrupted her campaign work and personal life, and she declined to respond to the messages. Culhane pleaded guilty to harassing her at unknown locations in the State. The court adjourned the case to October 21 pending a probation report, and Culhane remained on continuing bail until then. The case highlighted the impact of unsolicited sexual content on a public figure's safety and professional duties.
Zohaib Ahmed, 36, a Pakistani national, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended two‑year prison term and ordered to leave Ireland within a month. Ahmed pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment after sending over 150 threatening, pornographic and racist emails to a female colleague and to Garda Peter Guinan. The harassment began after the colleague sent a routine email about clock‑in procedures; Ahmed then sent more than 120 emails containing explicit and threatening content, including a phone call in which he called her an "Irish whore" and made remarks about her mother. He was also found guilty of harassing Garda Sergeant David O'Leary, who received 52 of the emails. The court warned Ahmed not to contact either complainant for 30 years and imposed a three‑year good‑behaviour order. The victim's impact statement described the emails as a "living hell" that left her feeling unsafe in social situations.
A preliminary hearing at the Workplace Relations Commission in Dublin addressed a complaint lodged by broadcaster Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh against RTÉ. Ms. Ní Chofaigh alleges sexual harassment and victimisation under the Employment Equality Act, claiming she was sidelined after raising concerns in July 2019. RTÉ's legal representatives, including Mairéad McKenna BL, denied all allegations and requested a direction to keep the identities of alleged perpetrators anonymous. The adjudicating officer, Breiffni O'Neill, agreed to this anonymity order, warning that any breach would be viewed dimly. Ms. Ní Chofaigh's counsel, Claire Bruton BL, supported the anonymity instruction but insisted the hearing proceed in public. The adjudicator noted that specific allegations regarding comments made after a photoshoot would be heard in private. The parties also discussed potential duplication with parallel High Court proceedings, with Ms. Bruton citing a Court of Appeal decision allowing such claims to progress simultaneously. The matter was adjourned to allow five weeks for written submissions, with the full hearing scheduled to run for three days in late June.