Man charged with threatening TD Hildegarde Naughton ordered to stay away from homes and offices of Galway politicians

A 47-year-old man who appeared in court charged with making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to the Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton must stay away from the homes and offices of all Galway politicians.

The condition is one of a number of imposed on Daragh O’Flaherty at Galway District Court on Wednesday.

O’Flaherty, with an address at New Estate, Clarinbridge, is charged with, without lawful excuse, making to Hildegarde Naughton, a threat, intending her to believe it would be carried out, to kill or cause serious harm.

The alleged offence is contrary to section 5 of the Non Fatal Offences Against The Person Act. The incident is alleged to have occurred on January 10th last in Galway .

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Ms Naughton is a Fine Gael TD for Galway west.

Mr O’Flaherty was remanded on bail subject to conditions.

In court, Garda John Kerrigan gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He said that in reply to the single charge, Mr O’Flaherty said: “There is a boy in a well. He is drowning in vaccine juice. The government keeps throwing people into the well. The media and corporations keep their foot on their head so the establishment can pretend there is no one in the well, and gardaí and the judiciary pretend the well does not exist. The national order must be restored.”

Judge Adrian Harris asked Garda Kerrigan to slowly go through the reply as it was quite lengthy. Mr O’Flaherty repeated the reply in court as Judge Harris took a note.

Garda Kerrigan said the State consented to bail subject to the accused abiding by certain conditions.

Gda Kerrigan said as part of the bail conditions, Mr O’Flaherty must reside at his given address, sign on twice a week at a Galway garda station and have no contact with the alleged injured party.

The accused must also stay away from the homes and offices of all Galway politicians and refrain from posting threatening and abusive content on social media or other internet platforms.

Solicitor John Martin was granted legal aid to represent the accused.

Mr Martin told the court the conditions were broadly agreed but his client objected to signing on twice a week and having to refrain from posting threatening and abusive content.

Mr O’Flaherty told the court he was willing to sign on once a week. He said as part of his work he travels around Ireland “educating” and “motivating” communities.

He said he doesn’t get paid for this work, has a low income and has to spend a lot of his money on bus tickets for travel.

Judge Harris said there are already laws in place regarding threatening and abusive behaviour and after a brief conversation with the judge, Mr O’Flaherty agreed to abide by the condition.

Judge Harris said he would accede to the defence application to have the signing on condition reduced to once a week.

Mr O’Flaherty was remanded on bail to appear again in court on March 13th for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

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