Ex-garda avoids jail for second time over harassment of woman
A retired detective garda who was facing jail time after he contacted a woman despite his conviction for harassing her has had his eight-month custodial sentence suspended on appeal.The District Court Appeals Court heard that Eamon Moran (51) has suffered ill health ever since he was attacked on a 2012 deportation flight and was recently in intensive care.Moran, with an address in Perrystown, Dublin 12, harassed a woman by sending her unwanted texts and calls on dates between 2021 and 2023.
He originally pleaded guilty before the District Court and was convicted of harassment under section 10.1 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, amended by the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.He was sentenced to eight months in custody, which was fully suspended for two years on the condition that Moran would make no contact with the injured party and her family, would continue his medical rehabilitation and would stay one kilometre away from the injured party's home.His jail sentence was reactivated by Judge David McHugh at Blanchardstown District Court in October 2024 after the court heard Moran had contacted the woman by email and phone after his conviction. The victim reported the breaches to gardai, saying that his actions caused her some anxiety and stress.The court heard that Moran had sent an email and then called the victim on two different days in September 2024, which went unanswered. It was found that Moran had breached the conditions of his suspended sentence and he did not contest this in the District Court.Counsel for the appellant, Niamh Ní Aonghusa BL, today told the District Court Appeals Court that Moran 'misinterpreted this non-relationship' and is "very much apologetic" to the victim. She said he has no intention whatsoever to contact the victim again.Ms Ní Aonghusa said that Moran's health has been in decline since an incident in 2012 in which he was on a flight that was deporting people in his duty as a garda when he was attacked by a man with a razor blade.She presented several letters from medical professionals which said that Moran suffered a stroke, had a hole in his heart and had a liver condition.She said that he was recently in intensive care in St James's Hospital and that the muscles in his legs have depreciated. Judge Sinéad McMullan said that this is 'obviously a very serious matter' and that no one should have to deal with harassment.She said there was a clear court order that Moran 'clearly breached', but she also took into account that he was recently very unhealthy.Judge McMullan decided to fully suspend the sentence of eight months for a period of two years on the condition that Moran in no way attempt to contact the injured party ever again, stay one kilometre away from her house, continue to receive medical attention and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
42 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Dog walker who 'chased everybody in the place with a knife' at migrant camp is jailed
A dog walker was sentenced to three months in jail after being convicted of brandishing a knife at an asylum seeker in a Dublin migrant camp. Raymond Lawless, aged 63, of St Andrew's Court, was found guilty of the production of a knife at Sandwith Street, both in Dublin 2, on May 8, 2023. He denied the offensive weapon charge but was found guilty by Judge John Hughes at Dublin District Court, handed a sentence, and fined €500. In evidence, the complainant said he was an asylum seeker who had been living in a tent in the encampment. He alleged: "This man came around chasing everybody in the place with a knife". He described it as a kitchen knife and recalled Lawless had his small Yorkshire terrier with him. However, he said the accused threatened to return later with two bigger dogs to "chase us back to wherever we came from". The witness said he called gardaí to report the man coming into the camp to attack "me and two or three guys". He stated he tried to rescue his friends from Lawless. Cross-examined, he agreed he was intimidated not by the little dog with Lawless but because he said he would come back with two big dogs. Challenged over his knife claim, the defence barrister told the witness that Lawless had a trowel for cleaning up after his dog. "It was a knife", he replied. Garda Alan Cawley obtained CCTV footage from the area and took statements. The video evidence was played during the hearing. Garden trowel Rejecting the accusation when he took the stand, Lawless insisted he just went out to walk his dog and had a small garden trowel to clean up after his pet. He said he vaguely remembered the day and denied having anything on him to frighten anyone. Reacting to the complainant's evidence, Lawless said: "That's a complete lie; I deny that," adamant that he never went around carrying a knife. Questioned by the prosecutor, he confirmed he knew there was a refugee camp there because he lived across the road. He said he no longer had the trowel because the dog had died and he had got rid of all his pet's things. When told the item looked like a knife, he replied: "It may do, but I was not carrying a knife." He added that he never spoke to anyone in the camp. Sentencing Judge Hughes did not accept his account and said it was "abundantly clear" in the CCTV footage that he was carrying a silver, chrome, and long knife distinct from a garden trowel. He noted that the accused had one previous conviction for assault causing harm, which led to a Circuit Court imposing an 18-month suspended sentence in 2012. The court heard he had been receiving cancer treatment. Judge Hughes imposed the fine and a nine-month sentence but suspended the final six months on condition he did not re-offend in two years, had no contact with the complainant, stayed away from Sandwith Street, and completed an anger-management course. Lawless was released after lodging an appeal for bail.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Wickow man (67) who drove with Lidl manager on his bonnet after checkout row escapes jail term
Wicklow People A retired tradesman has avoided prison over an incident in a supermarket car park in Wicklow in which he drove a short distance with a store manager on the bonnet of his vehicle following a row at a checkout. Thomas O'Connor (67) of Two Mile House, Ballinteskin, Co Wicklow pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment over the incident at the Lidl supermarket on Rathnew Road, Co Wicklow on July 3, 2023 contrary to Section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Retired tradesman avoids jail for driving with Lidl manager on car bonnet after checkout row
A retired tradesman has avoided prison over an incident in a supermarket car park in Wicklow Town in which he drove a short distance with a store manager on the bonnet of his vehicle following a row at a checkout. Thomas O'Connor, aged 67, of Two Mile House, Ballinteskin, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment over the incident at the Lidl supermarket on Rathnew Road, Co Wicklow, on July 3, 2023, contrary to Section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Garda James Downey told a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court that there had been an issue between the store's assistant manager and the accused in relation to the payment for a small item. CCTV footage played in court showed that the manager attempted to place a shopping trolley in front of O'Connor's vehicle in order to speak further with him as the accused was driving out of the car park. Video images show the supermarket employee was briefly pushed onto the bonnet of the vehicle which was travelling at a slow speed before O'Connor drove away cutting inside a van coming into the car park on the wrong side as he made his exit. Garda Downey said O'Connor was arrested in December 2023 and identified himself on the CCTV footage and accepted responsibility for his driving. The court heard he told gardaí: 'What can I say? At least no-one was hurt. I was panicked.' O'Connor also added that he was 'deeply sorry.' Garda Downey confirmed to prosecution counsel, James Kelly BL, that the accused had no previous convictions. Cross-examined by defence counsel, Edmund Sweetman BL, Garda Downey agreed that the incident arose from a dispute over what items were paid for. The court heard there was an issue about whether the customer had given the cashier a €5 or €10 note which resulted in O'Connor leaving the store with two packs of hash browns and leaving another behind at the checkout. Garda Downey said the accused had taken offence at being challenged by Lidl staff. Mr Kelly observed that O'Connor had 'left in high dudgeon and took off.' Mr Sweetman said there was no justification for the defendant's 'most irrational behaviour'. Pleading for leniency, the barrister said O'Connor had a previously unblemished character and had recently retired from a career working as a plasterer. He said the accused had brought €1,000 to court for his victim as an expression of his remorse. Sentencing Sentencing O'Connor to three months in prison, Judge Terence O'Sullivan said he would fully suspend the term of imprisonment for a period of six months on condition that he keep the peace for that period and not come to Garda attention. The judge said the accused's driving was reckless and it was lucky that no harm had come to the Lidl manager. He said O'Connor knew there was some sort of row with the supermarket's staff and there was no justification for endangering the store official, although the judge acknowledged the accused was assessed as being at a low risk of re-offending. Judge O'Sullivan said he accepted that the defendant 'simply panicked in temper'. 'It was one of those occasions where the red mist descended when it shouldn't have,' the judge remarked. Having heard that O'Connor lives in an area with poor public transport and has a wife with health issues, Judge O'Sullivan said he would not impose any driving disqualification on him.
