Man who sent Springsteen concert videos has conviction for breaching order removed
Judge Christopher Callan said that he was sure Springsteen 'would not be too happy' to see his music being used in this way and that the man's actions were not in line with the singer's message as a performing artist.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in the District Court to the breach of a safety order contrary to section 33 (1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018.
He received a one-month suspended sentence in March 2025 and later lodged an appeal against the severity of that term.
READ MORE
Gda Rachel O'Mahony told the District Court Appeals Court that on June 20th, 2024, the injured party reported to gardaí that the man had breached a safety order on three occasions.
She said that on dates between February 2nd, 2024, and June 20th, 2024, the man sent the injured party text messages to her mobile phone.
Gda O'Mahony said that these messages included videos taken at a Bruce Springsteen concert in Croke Park and a YouTube link. Gda O'Mahony said the woman said this communication put her in fear.
She also presented a victim-impact statement to the judge that was not read aloud in court.
Defence counsel for the man, Seosaimhín Ní Chathasaigh BL, said her client co-operated fully with the gardaí and did not dispute the charges.
She said he has sincere remorse for the hurt caused by his actions and this is not a pattern of behaviour that will continue in the future.
Ms Ní Chathasaigh confirmed to the judge that the safety order has already been extended to last until 2030 with consent from her client.
She said her client is not seeking to avoid accountability but having a conviction would have life-altering effects in regards to his employment or possible travel.
Judge Callan said the victim-impact statement was very clear about the extent of the fear that the injured party experienced. He said the videos were 'intending to give a certain message' to the injured party, which was explained in her victim-impact statement.
Judge Callan decided to remove the man's criminal conviction on the condition he pays a donation of €1,000 to Women's Aid, noting the safety order remains in place until 2030.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Irish Times
Criminal who kidnapped, tortured Kevin Lunney challenges constitutionality of conviction
One of the men jailed for the kidnap and torture of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney has argued against the constitutionality of his conviction by the Special Criminal Court. Alan Harte (43) was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the non-jury, three-judge Special Criminal Court for committing serious harm and falsely imprisoning Mr Lunney at a yard in Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, in September 2019. At the Court of Appeal on Monday, Michael O'Higgins SC, for Harte, said there were two grounds to the appeal: whether it was possible for the Special Criminal Court to deliver a majority verdict and whether that court was entitled not to disclose whether the verdict was unanimous or not. 'If a person is convicted, they should know if it is a unanimous or majority verdict,' Mr O'Higgins said. 'When taking someone's liberty away, it should be done with absolute transparency.' READ MORE He said that a court, when not making rulings, was in effect acting as a juror, so the judges of the Special Criminal Court were engaged in the same exercise as a jury. 'It's irrelevant who is doing it, they're carrying out the same task with the same criteria. If the verdict falls below a level, the trial becomes unacceptable,' Mr O'Higgins said. He said that while there were procedural differences between the courts, once a jury or judges retired to consider their verdict they were in the same category. Remy Farrell SC, for the State, said a jury trial involved trial by a reasonable cross-section of society, but the Special Criminal Court comprised judges who were not representative of a cross-section of society, so these were completely different concepts. Mr Justice John Edwards, presiding, said the court would reserve judgment.
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
Drug addict with nearly 190 convictions who twice robbed same pharmacy given seven years
A robber with 189 previous convictions who twice targeted the same pharmacy has been given a seven-year sentence with the final three years suspended. Robert Clinch (43) told the court in a letter that he wants to rehabilitate and change his life. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Clinch, a long-time drug addict, was previously released during the Covid pandemic with no support and within hours, had broken into a McDonald's restaurant to make himself food and steal cash. Clinch, of Millbrook Grove, Kilbarrack, Dublin, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery of a pharmacy in Coolock on dates in February and July 2023. READ MORE Passing sentence on Monday,Judge Elma Duffy noted the same shop and the same victims had been targeted twice. She said Clinch knew the consequences of this offending for himself and his victims. She noted he had been described as being a pathetic figure doing what he needed to do to get his next fix. She took into account that he wants to change his life and has been motivated to engage with services and become drug-free while in custody. She told him that no matter what is put in place for him on his release, at some point, he must be the person who has to break the cycle. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling seven years and suspended the final three on strict conditions. Garda Alan Davis told Patrick Jackson, prosecuting, that in the first robbery on February 16th, 2023, Clinch entered the store through security doors as another customer was leaving. His face was covered and he was armed with a knife. He asked the staff to open the till and took €150. He also took about 300 tablets and warned staff not to press the panic button. He said sorry before he left the scene. Garda Davis said on July 4th, 2023, the same staff were working, when one of them saw a man roll a black beanie down over his face and knew he was going to rob the store. He banged the security door with his shoulder to force it open and used a rock to prevent it from closing. Staff activated the panic alarm. Clinch asked them why they had pressed the panic button and ran to the dispensary, where tablets were put into a bag. While the staff member was doing this, he leaned over and took her phone. Gardaí were able to identify Clinch on CCTV and trace him on footage walking to and from his home before and after the robberies. He was arrested and made denials. The court heard Clinch was a drug addict who was committing offences to feed his habit.
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
Somali diplomat challenges detention in Dublin jail over alleged people smuggling
A Somali diplomat arrested at Dublin Airport and charged with people-smuggling offences has launched a High Court challenge against his detention in an Irish prison, claiming diplomatic immunity. Mohamed Abdallatif Hussein, who is attached to the Federal Republic of Somalia embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was arrested by gardaí at Dublin Airport on November 26th last year. He was brought before Dublin District Court later that day accused of two counts of alleged people smuggling under the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act, 2021, at Dublin Airport's terminal one. On the same date, he was also charged with two further offences under the Act. READ MORE Last January at Cloverhill District Court he was further charged with four counts of alleged people smuggling under the Act at terminal two, Dublin Airport, on November 6th and September 30th last year. He has not yet entered a plea on any of the eight charges. Barry Ward SC, for Mr Hussein, told the High Court on Monday his client has been held here 'unlawfully' since November and was entitled to diplomatic immunity. While only Mr Hussein's side was represented in court, Mr Ward told Ms Justice Marguerite Bolger his client was travelling under a diplomatic passport at the time of his arrest last November. Mr Ward is bringing the High Court application to have his client released from Cloverhill Prison. On Friday, Faisal Sadiq Khan of FSK Solicitors wrote to the prison governor, requesting his client's 'immediate' release under the Constitution's Article 40.4.2, which concerns the lawfulness of a person's detention. The request was refused by the prison, which said the release of Mr Hussein required a High Court order. Mr Hussein's lawyers say he is entitled to diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention. In a sworn statement to the court, Mr Khan said his client was a diplomatic agent 'within' the meaning ... the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, transposed into Irish law'. Mr Hussein is bringing the High Court application against the Director of Public Prosecutions and the governor of Cloverhill Prison. The matter is back before the High Court later this week.
