A Fine Gael politician has criticised the judicial system, and says the sentence handed down to a man who harassed him did not go far enough.
As the Irish Examiner reports, Longford-based Senator Micheál Carrigy plans to discuss with the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee the experience he had navigating the courts system — which he claims is not putting victims front and centre.
On Tuesday, Judge Bernadette Owens handed down a five-month prison sentence which was suspended for a period of 18 months to David Larkin, aged 43, with an address at 33 Ardnacassa Lawns, Longford.
Larkin pleaded guilty last year to harassment of Senator Carrigy on various dates between December 20th, 2021, and February 14th, 2022.
Mr Carrigy said he had been harassed via social media and had also received text messages and a voicemail. He said Larkin “put on a deep voice” and the voicemail left on his phone said his children would be “sterilised”.
Mr Carrigy said: “That was the real drive for me at the time to push the case and keep at it until I got to a conclusion.
“You crossed a line to even mention them, never mind put something verbally to me that he was going to do, and no parent should accept it,” he said.
At an earlier sitting, the court heard the messages sent by Larkin included threats to the senator’s home.
“All you scumbag politicians scrambling for the door, now that Boris has s*** himself and caved into the people before he’s f***** out of office and publicly hanged for his crimes,” one message read.
“That’s what you have to look forward bro. You’re going down just like the rest of the scum. Don’t think you’ll escape Micheal, your time is up soon, enjoy it.”
Another read: “The mothers, the fathers, they ain’t gonna wait for no international court case.
“They’re just gonna ram your front door and tear all you politicians apart in your house.
That’s what you have to look forward to. Could be next week, could be next year, but it’s coming my friend and no amount of security will save ya then. Happy s*** yourself Sunday.
Mr Carrigy said he has spoken to numerous people who feel they have been forced to “relive trauma” of their experiences and the judicial system is focusing “more on those who are accused rather than the victim.”
He said: “Cases are being strung out too long in the system particularly in a case where someone pleaded guilty.
“I’ve had to explain to them [his children] every time I was going to court what I was going to do and particularly my eldest son was asking when this would be all over and how do you explain that to a child? Because I couldn’t. It should have been over but it wasn’t."
