Woman’s guilty plea to harassment of former TD Jonathan O’Brien

A 42-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to a year-long campaign of harassment against former Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Jonathan O’Brien on various dates between 2018 and 2019.

Sonya Egan of The Lawn, Lios Cara, Killeens, Co Cork, was arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday. She pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment contrary to section 10 (1) and (6) of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.

Particulars of the offences are that Ms Egan did on various dates between January 17th, 2018, and January 9th, 2019, at locations within the State harass Mr O’Brien.

She also pleaded guilty to harassing another woman on various dates between April 8th, 2018, and June 26th, 2019, at locations within the State.

Counsel for the defence, Anthony Sammon SC, was granted an extension of legal aid to facilitate the commissioning of a report from a consultant psychiatrist in relation to “certain difficulties” experienced by his client.

Mr Sammon said a degree of work was needed in the medical field prior to the sentencing hearing. Victim-impact reports will also be prepared before sentencing in the case later this year.

Ms Egan was remanded on continuing bail until her next court appearance. She did not speak during the brief hearing other than to enter her plea of guilty on both counts.

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She was remanded on continuing bail on the same conditions that require her to sign once a week at Gurranabraher Garda station, have no contact with the injured parties or their families, stay off all social media, make no public mention about injured parties, not discuss with anyone in relation to injured parties, except for with solicitor and reside at The Lawn, Lios Cara, Killeens.

It is also required that Ms Egan only contact gardaí in the event of an emergency and that if she wants to contact gardaí otherwise she should do so through her solicitor.

Judge Helen Boyle adjourned the case for mention on February 22nd . No background was given in relation to the case. The full facts will be furnished at the sentencing hearing later this year.