A Fine Gael senator has described how a “faceless” tirade of online social media abuse ended with threats to sterilise his children.
Senator Micheál Carrigy said he had been left shocked and upset at an ordeal which has caused untold personal hardship for both him and his family.
David Larkin (42), of Ardnacassa Lawns, Longford, pleaded guilty last November to harassing the Longford-based politician between December 20th, 2021 and February 14th, 2022.
Sgt Paul Carney of Granard Garda station said text messages and Facebook posts were sent to Mr Carrigy and a voicemail was left on his phone.
Mark O'Connell: The mystery is not why we Irish have responded to Israel’s barbarism. It’s why others have not
The music of 2024: Our critics’ verdicts on the best albums and acts of the year
‘One Christmas Day my brother set me on fire’: seven writers spill their most bizarre Yuletide yarns
Kellie Harrington fought hard for the dream ending she well deserved
In one message the politician was warned he was “going down”. “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,” it read.
“That’s what you have to look forward bro [sic]. You’re going down just like the rest of the scum. Don’t think you’ll escape Micheal, your time is soon up, enjoy it.”
The accused appeared back before Judge Bernadette Owens earlier on Tuesday to allow for the anticipated submission of a probation report.
Mr Carrigy, in a victim impact statement, said the entire episode had led him to question his own future in public life.
“Serious incidents like these make you question your position. Is it worth it? Is it my role and profile that is putting my family at risk? For example, constantly checking that the house door is locked and checking if any damage is done to our car.
“Will my involvement in public life have any effect on my children as they get older? There were a lot of sleepless nights during the period until this individual was arrested.”
He said “direct threats” had been made to his children and family home and that menacing taunts “cannot be accepted in our society”.
Mr Carrigy said the first inkling of anything untoward surfaced in late 2021 when a series of comments on Facebook with the common theme of “going to the train station” were brought to his attention. He said the trend and content of those remarks led him to believe his office was being watched due to its proximity to Longford Train Station.
He said subsequent message received early last year caused him to contact gardaí.
“I received a text informing me that no amount of security at my home would stop them from getting in,” he said. “A line had been crossed as far as I was concerned.”
After informing his wife of the messages, Mr Carrigy said he was on the receiving of a far more sinister threat just weeks later, something which also led him to suspect its author was acting alone.
“A number of weeks later I received a voice message on my phone threatening to sterilise my children, which upset both of us greatly,” he said. “I believed that all messages, text, and voicemail were the same person.”
Mr Carrigy singled out the investigative efforts of Sgt Carney in helping to bring charges against Mr Larkin, but the fallout had come at a cost.
“Both my wife and I are hard-working citizens of the state who pay our taxes,” he added. “We are entitled to live our lives without having been threatened but most importantly we should not have the burden of having to worry about our children when they are in their own home, their school or at other activities.”
Defence solicitor Frank Gearty said his client was acutely aware that what he did to Mr Carrigy was “gravely wrong”. He insisted his client had since moved on from the “dark place” in which he found himself when sending the messages.
Sentencing was adjourned until May to allow for Mr Larkin’s continued engagement with the probation services.