A Longford man has been jailed for one year for harassing a local solicitor, including falsely accusing her of killing children.
The solicitor has outlined the devastating impact it had on her.
At Longford Circuit Court on Tuesday, 54-year-old Patrick Cassidy, of Dromard, Moyne, pleaded guilty to harassing Longford solicitor Pauline Brady between January 1, 2024, and January 7, 2025.
The details of the case were outlined at a sentencing hearing today.
The court heard Ms Brady had represented the opposing side to Cassidy in legal proceedings in the past.
Garda Shaun Harrison said Ms Brady made a complaint about Cassidy on April 18, 2024.
The court heard, earlier that day, Cassidy made defamatory comments about her in open court in Roscommon.
The court also heard, on the way back to Longford afterwards, near Lanesboro, he was driving in front of her and he started intentionally slamming on the breaks, enticing her to crash into him.
Garda Harrison said she tried to overtake him, but he swerved to avoid her, and Ms Brady slowed down and was in fear.
The court also heard details of other incidents on various dates and locations during the 12-month period.
They included Cassidy falsely accused her of killing children, drawing his middle finger across his face in a sawing motion at her, shouting abuse at her, and saying he would ‘finish her’.
In her victim impact statement, which was read out in court today, Ms Brady said most of the harassment happened in public places, like court buildings.
She said she tolerated the abuse, threats, and aggression to the point of the car incident.
She said the harassment had a big impact on her personal and professional life and caused her to make changes to her life.
She said she even avoided walking down the street in Longford – for several months, she had lunch in her office instead.
She said she increased her personal security and upgraded CCTV at her home.
Cassidy’s barrister, Senior Counsel Diana Stuart, asked the judge to take into account her client’s "relatively early guilty plea".
She said he has significant physical and mental health problems.
She asked Judge Jonathan Dunphy not to jail Cassidy and to consider a suspended sentence.
However, Judge Dunphy gave him a three-year prison sentence, but suspended the final two years for a period of three years.
This means he faces one year in jail immediately.
He has also been barred from any contact with the victim, Ms Brady, for five years.
Judge Dunphy said he did not accept he entered an early guilty plea.
Judge Dunphy said he harassed the solicitor for 12 months and there must be serious consequences.
He said Cassidy had a vendetta against Ms Brady, regularly shouting abuse at her, and defaming her in front of colleagues.
