A 43-year-old woman who made false allegations of rape and sexual assault against three social workers, a solicitor and a senior garda has been jailed for four years.
Judge Catherine Staines described the victim impact statements in the case as the "most harrowing" she has ever read, as she sentenced Sonya Egan, of The Lawn, Lios Cara, Kileens, in Co Cork, at the Circuit Criminal Court today.
Egan had pleaded guilty in February to eight counts of making false statements and six counts of making false reports against six men and three women on various dates between 2016 and 2021.
The false statements and reports were made at the Bridewell garda stations in Dublin and Cork, and at Mayfield, Watercourse Road and Anglesea Street stations in Cork city.
The court was told that Egan, who is currently serving a prison sentence for harassment, had chosen not to appear in court either in person or via camera.
Defence Senior Counsel Ronan Munro told the court that his client is currently on hunger strike in Limerick Prison.
Investigating Detective Garda James Buckley told Judge Staines that Egan used as a strategy "making false reports and allegations against persons or institutions" if they did anything to upset her.
In one case, when a social worker reported her to gardaí for harassing him, she retaliated by accusing him of sexual assault, rape, human trafficking and prostituting her and others.
She made similar charges of historical abuse against two other social workers and a solicitor, whom Det Gda Buckley said: "had the misfortune to cross the path of the accused in a professional manner".
Egan also reported a Garda Sergeant - involved in investigating various complaints made by Egan over the years - to his superiors, to the Minister for Justice and to GSOC, accusing him of historical sexual abuse and threatening to kill her.
"She waged a horrific campaign against a diligent and professional garda member who she targeted with vile allegations," he said.
The court heard that Egan went to gardaí on numerous occasions between 2016 and 2020 to make false accusations about professional people.
While the contents of the victim impact statements were not disclosed in open court, Judge Staines said they were the most harrowing she had ever read.
"I cannot begin to understand the harm and devastation caused to these unfortunate, professional people," she said.
She said she would respect the privacy of the victims, but referred in summary to some of the content.
"One victim was accused of rape and sexual abuse. A letter of complaint was sent to his employer, to An Garda Síochána and to the Minister for Health. While formal investigations were taking place, he had to stand aside. His reputation was ruined. It effectively ended his whole career.
"Ms Egan contacted RTÉ and Prime Time (no programme was ever made) and she also used social media - she was allowed to use social media to disseminate lies about him."
Another victim was accused of running a paedophile ring. He had given his life to child protection.
"She wrote to his employer, wrote to the police and there were hours and hours of garda interviews.
"She destroyed his career and caused huge emotional trauma".
The judge said this victim, whose life was dedicated to protecting children, had to talk to his own children about what a paedophile ring is because of the allegations that Egan had put into circulation on social media.
Mr Munro said he had been instructed by Egan to apologise for her actions.
He said he was entering a "formal retraction" on behalf of his client who accepted that there was "no factual basis to her allegations".
He said his client had a history of telling "tall stories" dating back over 20 years.
He submitted a psychological report, where Egan was diagnosed with a borderline personality disorder and described as a compulsive liar.
Sentencing her, Judge Staines referred to Egan being on hunger strike in Limerick Prison saying the court would not be manipulated by the actions of a woman who had shown the capacity to be extremely manipulative.
Judge Staines jailed her for a total of six years with the last two years suspended.
