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A man has admitted to sending a series of anonymous letters, condolence cards and bouquets of flowers to community members in which he falsely accused a relative of sexually abusing his own children.
Gary O’Donovan (41), residing in Willow Park, Clonmel, Co Tipperary pleaded guilty in Skibbereen District Court to harassing a relative living in West Cork between March 10 and 20, 2015, in against Section 10 of the Non-Fatal Law Offenses against the Person.
Sergeant Paul Kelly told the court that O’Donovan sent some 26 letters, four condolence cards and two bouquets of flowers to the man, his family, a post office, a Garda station, Tusla and several local businesses, claiming falsely to man. he was abusing his children by following his wife’s instructions.
The man and his wife were called pedophiles in the letters, one of which bore an image of the Palestinian flag, while a Palestinian flag was also attached to one of the bouquets. The couple was threatened that they would be “annihilated by the Palestinian movement,” Sergeant Kelly said.
O’Donovan’s intention was to “name and shame” his relative, Sergeant Kelly said.
Gardaí was notified and O’Donovan was arrested. He admitted his participation but later emigrated to Australia, the court heard.
Judge James McNulty was told that the victim had refused to go to court, but had filed a victim impact statement. The judge praised the man for dedicating so little of the statement to his own situation, but rather to expressing concern for O’Donovan.
“I am aware that Gary has serious mental health problems … all I wish in this case is for Gary to say that he is sorry for all the harm to my family for all the harm he has caused and I hope he can fix his mental health problems ”The man said in the statement, which was read by the judge.
Judge McNulty noted that O’Donovan had come for counseling, but what concerned him in both his therapist’s report and the Probation Service’s report was that he seemed to completely lack empathy and understanding of the pain that had occurred. caused to its victim.
Defense attorney Colette McCarthy said O’Donovan had a troubled childhood. She said she could not explain why she attacked her relative with the false accusations, as she had little contact with him over the years and there was no reason to hold a grudge or ill will towards him.
O’Donovan had an idea and became obsessed with it even though it had no basis in fact, McCarthy said, adding that his client had expressed remorse when interviewed by Gardaí.
He suggested deferring the matter to allow him to undergo further psychological evaluation.
Judge McNulty said expressions of remorse at this stage were “too rare and too late” and that he had not heard anything by way of a public apology, offer of redress, or even hints of empathy, even though O’Donovan carried several years to do all this.
O’Donovan had participated in a harassment campaign in which his relative had been “ridiculed and humiliated within his community” as a result of the defendant’s “delusional actions”.
Judge McNulty said O’Donovan had allowed “this dark accusation” against his relative to circulate for five years.
O’Donovan told the court that he had apologized to the Gardaí who interviewed him in 2015 and asked them to convey their apologies to his family.
He said that he had promised not to contact his relative again and that he would never return to Cork after the court case was over.
Judge McNulty said he would like to hear more in terms of apology, vindication and offering of reparation “from this innocent man who was defamed in the most defamatory manner in the victim’s own community.”
He sentenced O’Donovan, who the court heard he had no prior convictions, to six months in jail, but suspended him on the condition that he write a full letter of apology to the victim for Gardaí to deliver. She was also ordered to keep the peace for two years.
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