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Garda guilty of harassing State solicitor

Garda Eve Doherty was not guilty of making false statements
Garda Eve Doherty was not guilty of making false statements

A 49-year-old Dublin garda has been found guilty of conducting a campaign of harassment against a solicitor in the Director of Public Prosecutions office.

Eve Doherty was found not guilty of making false statements about the solicitor.

Garda Doherty was in a relationship with the ex-husband of solicitor Elizabeth Howlin.

Ms Howlin worked in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and is a distant cousin of Labour TD Brendan Howlin.

The prosecution alleged Doherty carried out a campaign of harassment against Ms Howlin over 18 months through letters and emails.

It was also alleged that she made false statements in March 2012, claiming Ms Howlin was perverting the course of justice.

Doherty's lawyers described the material as "hideous and defamatory" but said Doherty denied being the author of any of the material.

There was no DNA linking Doherty to the material.

The prosecution told the jurors that they could take all the circumstantial evidence as a whole and rely on it to conclude Doherty was guilty.

The jury took around four hours to reach unanimous verdicts, finding Doherty guilty on the harassment charges and not guilty of making false statement.

Sentencing will take place on 27 October.