A swimming coach jailed for secretly filming young girls as they got changed has been spared an extra prison sentence for a "frightening, unnecessary, damaging" attack on an RTÉ news cameraman outside a courthouse in Dublin.
Matthew Coward, 32, formerly of Shantalla Drive, Santry, Dublin, received a three-year sentence in November following a Garda divisional protective services unit investigation into his activities at a swimming complex.
On Wednesday, he appeared via video-link at Dublin District Court to plead guilty to an assault on RTÉ television news cameraman Micheál Mac Suibhne, which happened on December 22nd 2022.
Judge Michele Finan handed down a consecutive four-month sentence but suspended it on condition he did not re-offend within 12 months of his release in 2026.
The incident happened while Coward, who was on bail at the time, was leaving a hearing at the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ).
Garda Chris Maguire told Judge Finan the RTÉ cameraman was working at the court.
Coward had a case on that day and left the front door of the CCJ and walked up Infirmary Road.
Mr Mac Suibhne followed Coward up the road while recording on his RTÉ camera.
As he approached him, Coward "shouldered, it was more a hit with his shoulder, he did this twice to the RTÉ cameraman".
Mr Mac Suibhne "stumbled into a tree" but did not lose his footing; however, he dropped his camera battery. Coward was also "abusive" to him and walked away.
The news veteran provided a moving victim impact statement telling Judge Finan that camera crews have become "easy targets".
"This is the first time I have put a description of what happened in the aftermath on paper and it's been difficult. In three words: frightening, unnecessary, damaging," the cameraman said.
"I went into a mental auto-pilot after the attempt was made to push me out in front of the traffic on Infirmary Road, and that would have been the end of that. I understand that I am mortal and will meet my maker, but on that morning in December of 2022, I thought I was about to realise that."
"In my 36 years a cameraman, I have been trained to work in hostile environments and have been to the likes of Israel, the West Bank, South Sudan, the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, two Arab Springs and many more interesting assignments."
"Hand-to-hand combat has never happened, especially because one is a member of the news media. There's been verbal hostility on occasions or a sense of being unwelcome, but things have now changed."
"Sadly," he said, "it would seem that camera crews are seen as easy or important targets for abuse since the beginning of the covid pandemic, while we were amongst those trying to help the effort to inform everyone on how to stay safe."
"In my opinion, the hostility is both pointless and not fair to the person trying to pursue what I would consider is the purest form of TV journalism, actually gathering the pictures and sound using a bulky TV camera."
"What Matthew Coward did to me frightened the life out of me for quite a while and ruined a Christmas with my family," he said, adding that the attack left him depressed, snappy and absent-minded, and he sought help from his GP.
He also said he had no hard feelings towards Coward and wanted him to get a suspended sentence.
Judge Finan thanked him for coming and speaking "so eloquently and compassionately" and said it must have been very difficult for him.
Coward, dressed in a dark sweater, shirt, and navy jeans, will be released in February 2026. He spoke only to confirm his name and say he could hear the proceedings over the remote hearing, and he also got his solicitor, Damien Coffey, to apologise in court on his behalf.
Garda Maguire agreed with Mr Coffey that Coward indicated he would plead guilty from the outset of the investigation.
In a mitigation plea, Mr Coffey said it happened during an "extremely stressful time" for Coward, who was in the full glare of the media at the time and "reacted very poorly".
The court heard he was using his time in custody to study horticulture and was "trying to better himself".
In sentencing, Judge Finan said Coward's aggression toward someone in the media doing their job reflected on society.
In November, Coward received a three-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of three girls and three counts of production of child pornography on dates between September 1st 2021, and February 26th 2022.
He had set up a camera in his office and filmed girls changing.
Two of the videos were categorised as child abuse material, with a further seven deemed as inappropriate. The National Cyber Crime Unit categorised the videos as category two, which contained child nudity.
Other videos found on Coward's devices showed children being filmed stretching in the swimming complex. His internet history showed searches synonymous with teenage pornography.
In the videos, young girls would come and try on "swimming skins". During this time, the girl's genital regions were visible. At the end of the videos, Coward was filmed returning to the room and stopping the recording.
