Convicted rapist who harassed three Sunday World journalists jailed
Mark McAnaw, previously of Letterkenny, Co Donegal, pleaded guilty to the harassment of Ms Tallant, Ms Brunker and Ms Reynolds on various dates in August 2023.
Amanda Brunker and Deirdre Reynolds speaking to media following the sentence hearing of Mark McAnaw in the circuit court in Dublin. Photo: Collins Courts
A convicted rapist who threatened and harassed three female Sunday World journalists has been jailed for 11 years.
Mark McAnaw (53) refused to enter a bond before a sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court which would have suspended the final 12 months of the 11-year sentence imposed for the harassment of Nicola Tallant, Amanda Brunker and Deirdre Reynolds.
After Judge Pauline Codd had outlined the conditions attached to the suspended portion of the sentence today, McAnaw's counsel Rebecca Smith BL said her client did not wish to enter the bond as he found the conditions 'onerous'. As a result, the judge imposed the full 11-year sentence.
Judge Codd also ordered that McAnaw should have no contact either directly or indirectly with the women, should not approach them, go within 10 miles of their homes and workplaces or communicate with them for life.
McAnaw, previously of Letterkenny, Co Donegal, pleaded guilty to the harassment of Ms Tallant, Ms Brunker and Ms Reynolds on various dates in August 2023.
Amanda Brunker and Deirdre Reynolds speaking to media following the sentence hearing of Mark McAnaw in the circuit court in Dublin. Photo: Collins Courts
The court heard McAnaw repeatedly sent the three women emails and messages of a violent and sexually threatening nature, which escalated to him threatening to put a 'bullet' in Ms Reynolds. He also referred to himself as an 'IRA Top Boy'.
He also turned up at the offices of the Sunday World on Talbot Street and, when refused entry, he went to a cafe across the road. When gardai approached him there, McAnaw was in the process of writing an email to Ms Tallant.
McAnaw is currently detained in the Central Mental Hospital (CMH). McAnaw does not accept his diagnosis of schizophrenia and has declined to take medication, the court was told.
His previous convictions include the rape of a foreign student in Donegal in October 2010, for which he was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2012.
McAnaw also has a 1989 conviction for kidnapping and convictions for assaults causing actual bodily harm from a court in Northern Ireland in 2011.
He also has a conviction for aggravated assault after attacking a woman in her home in April 2018, for which he received a sentence of eight years and four months in June 2023.
This sentence was backdated to 2018 when he went into custody, with the final 16 months suspended for 16 years on strict conditions. McAnaw was released from custody on this sentence in July 2023 – one month before the harassment of the three journalists took place.
Mark McAnaw
News in 90 Seconds - 5th June 2025
Ms Smith said her client instructs that he found it difficult to abide by the conditions attached to the suspended portion of the sentence imposed in 2023.
A handwritten letter from McAnaw was also handed to the court, which Judge Codd described as 'concerning'.
Judge Codd noted that social media and online communication makes it easier to target journalists and others in public facing roles.
The judge noted women in the public eye are often targeted online and subjected to 'base and lewd threats and comments', which accelerated with the advent of social media.
Judge Codd said it is important that 'in a democracy, free speech and freedom of press must be rightly defended' and an aggravating feature of the case was the targeting of female journalists with 'threats of a highly graphic nature'.
The judge said general deterrence was necessary and that the 'message goes out' that there are criminal laws which can and will be enforced.
She said it was aggravating that McAnaw harassed the women in the context of their work, which potentially impacted their constitutional rights to earn a living and bodily integrity.
Judge Codd said the court also had to consider the issue of protection of the public, given McAnaw's history of violent offending, the evidence of his failure to follow medical advice and his consumption of illicit substances, including cannabis.
The judge said the need to protect the public 'can't be an end in itself', adding that preventative detention is not permitted by law in Ireland.
But Judge Codd said the protection of society was a factor alongside other sentencing principles that the court could have regard to when constructing a proportionate sentence. She added that the fact that 'an offender is a danger to public, which is borne out by evidence, can justify a sentence towards the higher end of the scale'.
The judge noted McAnaw's mental health difficulties and that he declines to take anti-psychotic medication 'reserved for most serious cases of schizophrenia'. The judge said McAnaw also has a history of substance misuse and inconsistent past engagement with community mental health services.
The judge said McAnaw is assessed at high risk of violent and sexual re-offending. She said the court would give no discount on the headline sentence for his mental health issues, as he had contributed to them by declining to follow medical advice and by taking illicit substances.
Judge Codd said the escalating nature of the messages sent was aggravating and, in relation to Ms Reynolds, these included a threat to kill. The judge said while the offences occurred over a short period of time, this had less weight due to McAnaw's status as a violent offender, which would have exacerbated the concern felt by the injured parties.
Judge Codd noted the mitigation including McAnaw's guilty pleas and his background.
She outlined a global sentence of 11 years, with the final 12 months to be suspended on strict conditions for five years.
These included that McAnaw remain under probation supervision for five years, comply with his medical regime, refrain from the use of illicit substances and make available any internet-enabled devices when requested by gardai.
The judge backdated the sentence to August 2023, when McAnaw went into custody.
Ms Brunker and Ms Reynolds were both present in court when the sentence was imposed.
Probation and forensic psychological reports were handed to the court. Ms Smith told the court her client does not accept the diagnosis of a mental illness and has remained drug-free since entering the CMH in October 2023.
Judge Codd commended the three women for their resilience and courage throughout the process and wished them well for the future.
She directed McAnaw to appear at a sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court later this month in relation to the breach of conditions imposed as part of a suspended sentence.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
11 hours ago
- Sunday World
Elderly man (89) who sexually abused young girl jailed for ten years
Sid Green of Kennedy Park, Roscrea, was convicted of 22 counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of the child Sid Green of Kennedy Park, Roscrea, was convicted of 22 counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of the child, on dates between 1993 and 1998. He has no previous convictions. The injured party indicated to the court at a previous hearing that she has no issue with Green being named but she does not wish to be identified. She told the court how the damaging effects of the abuse had been 'far reaching and enduring' and had affected every facet of her existence. The court heard defence submissions that Green, who has recently been resident in a Co Offaly nursing home, has medical issues that would make custody difficult for him. He has been on bail and appeared via video link from the nursing home for his sentence hearings. The prison service have indicated that they will be able to take Green into custody on July 10 next and will be able to accommodate his medical needs. Passing sentence today Mr Justice Patrick McGrath said these were 'appalling offences' noting that Green coldly engaged in a cynical campaign of rape which he perpetrated whenever the opportunity arose. He noted that there has been no remorse shown. Mr Justice McGrath noted the profound impact the offending has had on the woman's life. He said she is a young woman who has shown remarkable resilience and strength and he commended her for the manner in which she dealt with the case and gave her evidence. The CCJ in Dublin. News in 90 Seconds - June 20th He noted the support the young woman had from her husband and parents throughout the process. He noted defence submissions that due to his age any custodial sentence is in effect a life sentence for Green, that he has no prior convictions and that there had been no violence additional to the inherent violence of rape. He said the difficulty which arose in this case was the age of the accused, with the only mitigating factors being his absence of prior convictions and that he had been a productive family man. Mr Justice McGrath set a headline sentence of 16 years, which he reduced to 15 years taking into account the circumstances of the case. He noted that the prison service had liaised with Green's carers and the prison service had formed the view they can accommodate him and deal with his needs from July 10, 2025. Mr Justice McGrath said he had considered the medical reports in the case and while Green has a considerable range of medical difficulties, most are those that would be expected for a man of his age. He said the difficulties mostly relate to mobility and ensuring that Green takes his various medications. Mr Justice McGrath imposed the 15 year sentence, and taking into account Green's advanced age, suspended the final five years of the sentence. It will take effect from July 10, 2025. Detective Garda Oliver Hennelly told George Burns BL, prosecuting, that the woman reported to gardai that the offending began when she just turned seven. Green was 57 years old. The women reported that Green took any opportunity he could to rape her and that it happened many times. The abuse ended when she was about the age of 12 years old. The woman subsequently engaged with mental health services and the rape crisis centre but did not feel ready to go to gardai until after she disclosed the abuse to her own family. The woman made a complaint to gardai in 2020 and when Green was interviewed in 2021, he denied the allegations. He was charged in 2022 and found guilty following a trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Tullamore earlier this year. In her victim impact statement, the woman described the profound and devastating effects that the abuse continues to have on her life as a result of the emotional and psychological damage caused. She described how she battles with fear and trust and how her relationships with family, friends and loved ones have suffered. She outlined how anxiety has transferred into her own parenting. She suffers with depression, flashbacks and nightmares, feels isolated and misunderstood, leaving her with a profound sense of loneliness. She described how she found temporary escape in drugs and alcohol but recognised this led to a destructive cycle, creating a barrier between her and loved ones. She told the court how she felt shame and guilt, despite being the innocent victim in the situation. She said the long term consequences of the abuse are still unfolding but she is determined to seek healing and support. She thanked those who have supported her, especially her husband and said she is ready to 'confront the shadows of the past and step into a hopeful future together.' Dermot Cahill SC, defending, said that Green had moved to Ireland from the UK, raised a family here and had a good work history. His wife passed away in 2013. Counsel asked the court to take into account that the offences occurred over a defined period in the past and Green was now facing sentencing as a 89-year-old man. He outlined a number of medical issues currently affecting Green. He said Green is unable to mobilise or get out of bed without assistance and needs ongoing nursing, which he receives in the nursing home. He submitted that prison will create difficulties for Green from a health perspective. He asked the court to take into account his client's co-operation with gardai and a lack of prior convictions.
Sunday World
11 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man (20s) charged as 126 ‘mature' cannabis plants worth €100k seized in Dundalk
Gardai from the Dundalk Drugs Unit, assisted by Dundalk Detective and Crime Units executed a search warrant at the premises last night A man in his 20s has been charged after 126 'mature' cannabis plants worth €100,800 were seized at a home in Dundalk, Co Louth. Gardai from the Dundalk Drugs Unit, assisted by Dundalk Detective and Crime Units executed a search warrant at the premises last night. The plants were seized along with €34,000 worth cannabis which was packaged and 'ready for onward sale and supply.' Stock image News in 90 Seconds - June 20th The arrest came as part of Operation Tara, An Garda Siochana's ongoing investigation into the sale and supply of drugs. The suspect, who was arrested at the scene, has been charged and will appear before a special sitting of Dundalk District Court this afternoon. Investigations are ongoing.
Sunday World
11 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man involved in theft of 12 e-scooters from Dublin business ‘ashamed of his actions'
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the 12 e-scooters, worth €7,780, have never been recovered A man involved in the 'opportunistic' theft of 12 electric scooters from a Dublin business has been handed a suspended prison sentence. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the 12 e-scooters, worth €7,780, have never been recovered. Patrick Berry (40) of Labre Park, Kylemore Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 pleaded guilty to theft on November 16, 2020 from a storage unit at a business park in Ballymount. An investigating garda gave evidence that a patrol car was flagged down by men outside a storage complex in Ballymount. The injured party told gardai he had an e-scooter sale and repair business and his storage unit had been broken into. He said that he was not sure the shutter had closed properly when he left the unit two days earlier. Stock image News in 90 Seconds - June 20th CCTV played to the court showed a white van stopping outside the storage unit. The shutter was slightly open. The van's driver – who has not been identified – got out and looked under the shutter. He then got back into the van and parked it closer to the storage unit. After the shutter was lifted, Berry and the driver placed 12 boxed e-scooters in to the van. The shutter was then lowered and the van left the area. Berry was identified from the CCTV. When his address was searched on November 24, 2020, the white van was parked outside and seized by gardai. He was arrested and nothing of evidential value was obtained when he was interviewed by gardai. A victim impact statement was handed to the court but not read aloud. Berry has 30 previous convictions including eight for theft. All of his previous convictions were at the District Court and Berry has had no new offences since 2021, the court heard. The investigating garda agreed with defence counsel that Berry has addiction issues, which he has taken steps to address. The garda also accepted that testimonials on behalf of Berry are positive. Defence counsel said €3,200 had been gathered by his client's parents and was available in court as a token of remorse. He said Berry was apologetic and deeply ashamed of his actions. His client was using cocaine and crack cocaine. Berry has taken steps to address his addiction and is engaging with relevant services. Clean urine analysis was provided to the court, along with testimonials and an offer of trial employment Family members were also in court to support Berry. Judge Orla Crowe noted that this incident took place during the Covid-19 pandemic, and that it appeared the business park was 'quiet' at the time. The judge said this was an 'opportunistic' theft, which took place 'very quickly'. Referring to the victim impact statement, the judge noted while €7,780 may in some circumstances be a small amount for a business, for the injured party's business at that time it was 'almost existential'. Judge Crowe said the theft 'almost caused the collapse' of what was then a new business. She noted this caused great stress to the injured party. The judge noted the business had endured and the court commended them for that. The judge said it showed 'how one offence can have larger consequences'. Judge Crowe said the impact on the injured party, Berry's previous convictions and the value of the goods were aggravating factors. Having considered the mitigation, the judge imposed a sentence of two years and six months. Judge Crowe said the court wished to 'give this man a chance' and suspended the sentence on strict conditions, including that Berry remain drug-free, for four years. The judge also directed that the €3,200 brought to court should be paid to the injured party's company.
