Man who harassed politician and made threats against his children 'got off lightly'
Despite the case coming to an end, Micheál Carrigy said he felt like he did not get 'proper justice' and he can't understand why the case was 'dragged' out despite a guilty plea. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins
A Fine Gael politician who was harassed with threats made to his children and his home has claimed his perpetrator "got off lightly" and that the suspended sentence handed down to his harasser is not enough of a deterrent to others.
Senator Micheál Carrigy also claimed the courts system is not supporting victims and cases are being “dragged out” which is retraumatising victims and preventing gardaí from being out on the beat.
On Tuesday, Judge Bernadette Owens handed down a five-month prison sentence which was suspended for a period of 18 months to David Larkin with an address at 33 Ardnacassa Lawns, Longford. Larkin, 43, pleaded guilty last year to harassment of Senator Carrigy on various dates between December 20, 2021, and February 14, 2022.
Larkin had sent text messages, posts on social media and a voicemail which threatened Mr Carrigy and his family.
"We the people will bring you to justice. It's going to be slow and it's going to be brutal. Your children will be sterilised and there will be no legacy left from you. You're a f****** scumbag and you know it," the voicemail said, which was read out in court.
Despite the case coming to an end, Mr Carrigy said he felt like he did not get “proper justice” and he can't understand why the case was "dragged" out despite a guilty plea.
“I think it was a light sentence given the circumstances,” Mr Carrigy said.
“The reality is there were threats made against children who were five, seven and ten years of age at the time and I would ask is it appropriate to have a suspended sentence for that? I don’t think it is.
“I have nothing but the height of confidence in the local gardaí who pushed it on and dealt with it swiftly within days but the sentence given is just not strong enough.
He said the messages sent by Larkin made him paranoid given they alluded to the train station near his office in Longford and about his family home, where he had additional security installed.
He said at that time, he felt someone was watching his home and feared for the safety of his wife and children.
The Fine Gael Senator also spoke of having to explain to his eldest son, now 12 years of age, why he continuously had to attend court.
He said: “I’ve had to explain to them every time I was going to court what I was going to do and particularly my oldest son asked ‘I thought this was all over Daddy’ and how do you explain that to a child? Because I couldn’t. It should have been over but it wasn’t.”
Meanwhile, under questioning from Mr Carrigy at an Oireachtas committee, Meta Ireland admitted that it allows a “higher level of criticism” for public figures on its platforms compared with ordinary citizens. Meta Ireland’s head of policy, Dualta O Broin said the company’s policy in that regard — allowing a higher threshold of abuse of political figures in postings — stemmed from it having consulted with advocacy groups and non-governmental organisations worldwide, that sphere being “where we try to set our standards”.
He said there is a “desire” among that advocacy community “to be able to criticise and to be able to call out” the practices of political figures.
Mr Carrigy was unimpressed by that answer and said: “You don’t protect us, and we’re the ones who’re putting our faces out there. You’ll have less people going into public life. Why would they when you think it’s acceptable to have that kind of content,” he said.