Lurgan mum sent 'disgusting and abusive' emails to ex-partner after 'acrimonious' break up, Craigavon court hears
A 37-year-old mother sent ‘disgusting and abusive’ emails to her ex-partner following an ‘acrimonious’ break up, a court has heard.
Victoria Michelle Gervin, aged 37, from Alexandra Square, Lurgan appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on a charge of breaching a Non-Molestation Order in Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone.
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District Judge Michael Ranaghan noted Gervin has a record of ‘a string’ of breaches of a Non-Molestation Order and her barrister, Mr Damien Halleron, confirmed it was the same party.
Mr Halleron said the Probation Order handed down on the last occasion is “going very well”. He added the Non-Molestation Order has since been withdrawn and replaced with a Restraining Order.
District Judge Ranaghan referred to the “sheer number” of breaches, adding that he considered it close to being a custodial matter. He also said he had read the messages sent and described the language as “disgusting and abusive” but didn’t understand the need for the “angry emoji”.
The court heard that on August 7 last year the injured party reported he had received several emails from his ex-partner, the defendant.
"The tone of the emails were abusive and he subsequently wrote a written complaint and provided the emails to police as he considered the defendant’s actions a breach of a Non-Molestation Order granted on May 2025,” a prosecutor told the court.
During interview the defendant admitted sending the emails but denied intending to ‘cause alarm or distress to the injured party’. She said she ‘was not in a good place and not thinking straight’, the court heard.
Mr Halleron said that “in the cold light of day”, Gervin accepts there was no excuse for her behaviour and they were written "in anger” after the relationship had broken down “quite acrimoniously”.
He said his client was “in crisis” at the time and has taken steps to resolve that, adding the children are being properly cared for by both parents.
The barrister also told the court Gervin is subject to a Restraining Order and a Probation Order and there is “no suggestion of further offending”.
District Judge Ranaghan said he had the “misfortune” to read the emails.
He sentenced Gervin to four months in prison suspended for 20 months plus the £15 offender levy.