A Dublin man has been jailed for 2 years and three months after pleading guilty to threatening to kill the leader of Sinn Fein and the Garda Commissioner.
The accused, who was described as ''a lonely keyboard warrior'' posted a video on social media which went viral.
The court heard in July of last year, Mary Lou McDonald was at home with her husband when she saw a video of a man threatening to kill her on social media.
He was wearing a balaclava and threatened to shoot her and the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and made comments like ‘ill rip your ffinng head off’ and ‘fffing little rats.’
She said she was very alarmed, fearful and angry and was afraid it would encourage others to do harm to her.
Richard McGreevy of Whitechurch Place, Rathfarnham, was later arrested.
The 29 year old said he didn’t know the video would go viral - it was shortly after protests had taken place in Coolock and he said he just wanted to rant and he didn’t mean it.
In a victim impact statement read to the court on her behalf Mary Lou McDonald said like many in the public eye, she’s become used to routine and aggressive threats on social media but this was different.
She said the threats were those of a coward which caused her and her family distress and anger.
McGreevy, who was described as having a brain injury and a learning difficulty, was sentenced to 2 years and three months in prison.
Reporting by Stephanie Rohan
