Woman sentenced to prison for threats against Tánaiste Simon Harris

A 40-year-old woman from Tor an Rí, Balgaddy, Lucan, has been sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to sending threatening online messages about then-Tánaiste Simon Harris. The charges were under the 2020 Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act.

According to court reports, the messages were sent over a period of three minutes late at night and included direct threats of violence, including suggestions that the Tánaiste needed a “bullet in the head,” repeated profanities, and a message implying harm to his family.

In mitigation, her counsel said the offending occurred during a brief lapse in judgment, that she was distressed by a local child-abduction incident at the time, and that she was on antidepressants and had no recollection of sending the messages. The defence said she was of good character and fully cooperative.

However, Judge Michele Finan determined that the conduct and its impact — especially with reference to threats involving a child — warranted a custodial sentence. The judge declined to suspend the sentence, although recognisance was set at €200, and it will go to appeal.