A 48-year-old Galway man who pleaded guilty to making an online threat to kill or cause serious harm to Tánaiste Simon Harris and his family last August has been jailed for four months.
Judge Fiona Lydon said the threats made by Patrick Grealish were of a very serious nature and merited a custodial sentence of eight months.
However, in view of his early plea she suspended the final four months on condition he remains alcohol and intoxicant free and complies with his doctor's directions.
The court heard he was back taking medication for anxiety and depression and had completed an eight-week course in cognitive behavioral therapy.
The court heard some of the victim impact statement by Mr Harris, where he spoke of the trauma of getting a message late at night from a person unknown threatening to harm his wife and family.
"Imagine sitting at home at 10pm one night to receive a message to your social media account telling you that someone wants to harm your wife and children and vividly suggesting what should happen to them...
"How would you feel? To be reading that someone wants to harm your young children. That someone wants to harm your loved ones," the Tánaiste's victim impact statement said.
Doire an Fhéich District Court in Casla heard that threats against political figures are coming to the fore more frequently and have a harrowing impact on victims.
Defence solicitor Michael Cunningham lodged an appeal to the severity of the sentence.
In his full victim impact statement, submitted to the court by gardaí via Mr Harris, the Tánaiste said: "I thought long and hard about whether to make any statement to the court and, on balance, I decided, with my family, that I would."
He said: "I would rather not be doing this but I do think it's important that the individual before the Court understands the impact of his actions against me and my family.
"I know so much of the world is online these days but I want you to know that when you hide behind your keyboard and a username which doesn’t reveal who you are, your words still have real impact and your threats cause hurt, pain and worry.
"Imagine sitting at home at 10pm one night to receive a message to your social media account telling you that someone wants to harm your wife and children and vividly suggesting what should happen to them.
"Imagine that happening against a backdrop and context of a family having experienced sustained threats from other sources in the time preceding that message.
"How would you feel? To be reading that someone wants to harm your young children. That someone wants to harm your loved ones.
"Do you think when you type the message and press send of the impact? Is it done with serious intent to carry out the threat? Is it done in the hope it inspires others to do so? Or is simply done without any thought given to it and the pain and worry it causes?
"We live in a world where threats of violence to political figures are becoming more commonplace and now also one where people’s family’s seem fair game too.
"That night when you decided to threaten my children and my wife, you violated our family home.
"I don't know you. I don't know anything about you. I would never wish you any ill. Sadly you didn't afford the same basic respect to my family. I genuinely believe your actions endangered us either directly with a threat you hoped to realise or by posting a threat in the hope of inspiring others.
"Your actions are not consequence free. They cannot be. Please stay away from my family."
