Co Tyrone woman who sent messages of a malicious nature to work colleague handed suspended sentence
A District Judge has told a Co Tyrone woman who sent messages of a malicious nature to a work colleague causing him distress, that she had "behaved disgracefully".
Antonia O'Neill, aged 39, of Dernmore Close, Coalisland, was handed a three-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, when she appeared at Dungannon Magistrates Court on Wednesday on charges of harassment and using a public electronic communications network to cause annoyance.
Judge Francis Rafferty ordered O'Neill to pay £300 compensation with a £15 offender’s levy, and put in place a restraining order for two years preventing the defendant from contacting the victim.
The judge told O'Neill it was a serious offence and would have continued but for the intervention of the police.
Prosecuting counsel said the offending took place between May 24 and May 26 last year.
He said the messages had caused the injured party and his wife distress.
The lawyer said the complainant had contacted the defendant on May 25, and later stated that O'Neill had been rude to him on the call.
A defence lawyer said O'Neill is a mother-of-three children and as a result of this she had lost her employment.
He explained that at the time she was going through a separation and was filled with bitterness and frustration.
Judge Rafferty remarked: "So she decided to blame the victim for her situation."
The lawyer stressed that the incident happened over a 68-hour period and there has been nothing since.
"There has been no repetition and the defendant wants to move on with her life," he added.
He said O'Neill and the injured party had worked at the same company.