A young waitress was harassed at work by a former councillor who told her she was the “prettiest girl” he had ever seen, kissed her hand, tried to get her phone number and stared at her both in the restaurant and through the window outside, a court has heard.
Joseph O’Donovan, formerly known as Gary O’Flynn, appeared before Cork District Court on Friday, having previously pleaded guilty to one count of harassment.
Sgt John Kelleher told the court that Mr O’Donovan (49), a former Fianna Fáil councillor, went to a restaurant in Cork City on July 30th, 2022. He stayed for two hours during which time he was drinking wine. He flagged down a 25-year-old waitress and kissed her on the hand telling her she was “the nicest and prettiest girl he had ever seen”.
He continued to engage the woman in conversation while in the restaurant. His behaviour made her deeply uneasy, the court heard.
Two jailed for life after 53 migrants die in locked truck in Texas
Jurassic Park adviser unimpressed with Steven Spielberg’s dinosaurs: ‘What didn’t he get wrong?’
‘Happiness shines through’: Thousands join Dublin Pride Parade
‘I’m a free man’: Kneecap perform at Glastonbury, as BBC opts not to live-stream set
Mr O’Donovan of Melvindale House, Coolowen in Blarney, Co Cork returned to the restaurant on August 1st, 2022.
Sgt Kelleher said Mr O’Donovan wanted to be served by the same waitress. The waitress felt he was continuously staring in her direction. He again took her hand and kissed it. He breathed in to her ear and said: “Meet me outside for a tip and I better get your phone number for it”.
The court heard Mr O’Donovan then went outside and started staring in the window. Sgt Kelleher said the waitress went out, told the accused he wasn’t welcome and should leave.
“He [Mr O’Donovan] went back in again and asked [the waitress] could he see her again. He was asked to leave by management. He threw a €50 note at the waitress.”
Mr O’Donovan returned to the restaurant on August 6th, 2022 at around 10.30pm when the premises was near closing. The waitress told him to leave and Mr O’Donovan said he was “sorry” and he “couldn’t help it”.
He was arrested later that month. He claimed he had carried out the gesture out of politeness and courtesy.
He said he thought his interactions with the woman were “congenial” . He insisted he was very sorry for what had occurred.
Sgt Kelleher detailed the accused’s 26 previous convictions. He said the most serious involved Mr O’Donovan soliciting a person to murder three people, one of whom was a Garda.
The young woman who was harassed by Mr O’Donovan opted to give her own victim impact statement.
“For three years I have never stopped looking over my shoulder when I heard steps behind me,” she said. “This man [O’Donovan] looked me in the eye and called himself a creep. This man looked me in the eyes and called himself a stalker. Then laughed about it.”
She said the accused felt his “desire” outweighed her right to say “no.”
“He ignored every boundary and pushed further each time. It wasn’t harmless. It was obsessive and it left me terrified in places that I used to feel safe.”
She added she would never forget Mr O’Donovan’s “stares, his weird comments or the way he would linger and wait.”
Judge Mary Dorgan remanded Mr O’Donovan on bail until October 3rd next when sentencing will be finalised.
Mr O’Donovan is the son of former TD, Noel O’Flynn.
