Courts

Case against man accused of publishing offensive material about politicians is adjourned

Daragh O’Flaherty (47) alleges State has hidden data about infection rates for people ‘vaccinated with Covid-19 poison’

Hildegarde Naughton: It is alleged that on January 9th and 10th last Daragh O’Flaherty distributed or published a threatening or grossly offensive communication about her with intent to cause harm. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Ronan Judge
Tue Jul 2 2024 - 17:33

The case of a 47-year-old man accused of distributing or publishing threatening or grossly offensive communications about Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton and Senator Seán Kyne has been adjourned.

Daragh O’Flaherty (47), of New Estate, Clarinbridge, Co Galway, is accused of committing four offences, contrary to section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and related offences Act 2020, involving the Galway-based Fine Gael politicians.

It is alleged that on January 9th and 10th last Mr O’Flaherty distributed or published a threatening or grossly offensive communication about Ms Naughton with intent to cause harm. It is also alleged that, on the same dates, he distributed or published a threatening or grossly offensive communication about Mr Kyne with intent to cause harm.

Solicitor John Martin, for Mr O’Flaherty, told Galway District Court on Tuesday that the matter was before the court to determine if the State had fully complied with a court order for disclosure so a trial date could be set.

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“In fairness to the State on disclosure, I think it is sufficient but my client has other ideas,” he said.

Mr O’Flaherty told the court his defence to the charges was “purely statistical” and he had not received “data” that he alleged the State had “hidden”.

Asked by Judge Fiona Lydon what specific data he was seeking, Mr O’Flaherty said it included infection rates for people “vaccinated with Covid-19 poison” and that he wanted to see hospital data regarding “excess mortality” during the pandemic.

State solicitor for Galway West Rachel Joyce said Judge Mary Fahy made an order directing that “all disclosure” be supplied to the accused on a previous occasion. She said the court had not made an order regarding specific disclosure.

“As far as the State is concerned, disclosure has been complied with,” Ms Joyce said.

The case adjourned for a brief period and when it resumed Mr Martin said Mr O’Flaherty wanted to apply to the court for him to come off record. Mr O’Flaherty confirmed this.

Judge Lydon told Mr O’Flaherty that any outstanding issues with disclosure would be dealt with on another date. She told the accused he might want to seek legal advice before the case is heard. The case was adjourned to July 8th.

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