A GALWAY man has been sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for making death threats to Tánaiste Simon Harris and his family.
The defendant, Patrick Grealish, pleaded guilty to the online threats on August 4, 2024, and was sentenced to eight months in prison, with four of them suspended, by Judge Fiona Lydon at Doire an Fhéich (Derrynea) District Court in Connemara on February 17.
The court was informed that Grealish’s 70 previous convictions included 46 for theft and 24 for road traffic offences. During the 12-minute hearing, in which the defendant did not speak, Judge Lydon said the seriousness of the offence warranted a custodial sentence.
“The threats of violence against political figures are coming to the fore more frequently and have a harrowing impact on those at the receiving end, as is the position evidenced by the victim impact statement produced to the court,” she said.
Mr Grealish was offered a reduced sentence on the basis of his guilty plea and expression of remorse, a positive probation report, and the undertaking that he promises to abstain from alcohol and engage and comply with his GP.
In a victim impact statement, the Tánaiste stated: “That night, when you (Patrick Grealish) decided to threaten my children and my wife, you violated our family home.
“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.”
Mr Harris added: “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 it simply done without any thought given to it and the pain and worry it causes?”
The Tánaiste pointed out that “we live in a world where threats of violence to political figures are becoming more commonplace, and now also one where people’s families seem fair game too”.
Directly addressing the 49-year-old defendant, Mr Harris continued: “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.”
In closing his emotional plea, the Tánaiste said that Mr Grealish’s “actions are not consequence-free. They cannot be,” adding: “Please stay away from my family.”