A man who is facing multiple charges, including 11 counts of harassment involving 11 separate women, has been granted bail.
Francis Lynn appeared before Judge John Aylmer at Letterkenny Circuit Court in Co Donegal in connection with a bail application, reports Breaking News.
Lynn, who has an address in Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, is facing a total of 15 charges.
The 42-year-old is accused of 12 separate counts of alleged harassment involving a number of individuals on various dates between 2022 and 2023, reports Breaking News.
The charges are contrary to Section 10(1) and (6) of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, as amended by Section 10 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.
He also faces a charge of sending a threatening or grossly offensive communication, reports Breaking News.
It is alleged that on June 21st, 2023, at Cavan Post Office, Lynn sent a threatening or grossly offensive communication to the new tenants of 9 Milltown Court, Kilmacrennan.
The charge is contrary to Section 4(1) and (3) of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020,” reports Breaking News.
Lynn is further accused that on a date unknown between June 17th, 2022 and July 14th, 2022, at an unknown location within the State, he knowingly made a false report suggesting that an offence had been committed and giving rise to concerns for the safety of a named child.
That charge is contrary to Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act 1976, reports Breaking News.
Detective Garda Darren Carter of Milford Garda Station told the court he was objecting to bail on a number of grounds.
Det Gda Carter outlined in detail the basis for his opposition to bail, reports Breaking News.
He said he had serious concerns that the accused could interfere with or intimidate witnesses in the cases, including through electronic means or otherwise.
Counsel for the accused, Niamh Gaughan BL, said Lynn is a 42-year-old man who is registered as disabled and has a speech impediment, reports Breaking News.
She added that her client has no previous convictions for failing to appear in court.
She put it to Garda Carter that a “suite of conditions” could be imposed, including a €1,000 surety from his parents, that he reside at his Manorhamilton address, refrain from using social media, sign on daily at his local Garda station, provide a mobile phone number and avoid contact with any injured parties, reports Breaking News.
She asked whether such measures would address his concerns.
Garda Carter replied that no set of conditions would alleviate his fears, given the manner in which Lynn had allegedly conducted himself, reports Breaking News.
He added that while he respected that Lynn’s parents were willing to lodge €1,000 as a surety for their son and that he “had no doubt of their best intentions”, he questioned whether “would they be able to stop him is another matter entirely,” reports Breaking News.
In closing submissions, Ms Gaughan said the evidence outlined by Garda Carter was what might be expected at this stage, but noted that no complainant had yet given evidence regarding any of the charges, and that all counts would be contested.
She again stated that Lynn is registered as disabled, but the judge noted there was no medical evidence before the court to support that claim, reports Breaking News.
However, Judge Aylmer said that based on the submissions made, the prosecution had not presented sufficient evidence and that he was, albeit with some hesitation, prepared to grant bail subject to strict conditions.
The matter was adjourned until Tuesday, when Lynn’s parents attended court and lodged a cash surety of €1,000, reports Breaking News.
The surety, provided by Lynn’s mother, was approved and the funds were lodged with the court.
In addition to the cash surety, Lynn was made subject to a number of stringent conditions imposed by the court, reports Breaking News.
He must live at his Manorhamilton address and inform gardaí of any change of residence.
If gardaí call to that address, Lynn must present himself at the front door, and he is required to sign on daily at Manorhamilton Garda Station between 9am and 9pm, reports Breaking News.
He was directed to remain outside of County Donegal except for court appearances and to have no communication, directly or indirectly or through any account in any name, with any complainants, witnesses, investigating gardaí, or their partners or families.
Any communication is to take place solely through his solicitor, reports Breaking News.
Lynn was instructed to provide gardaí with a telephone number at which he must be contactable at all times.
He is prohibited from owning or possessing any other electronic device capable of accessing the internet, reports Breaking News.
Lynn must surrender his passport, refrain from applying for any new travel documents, be of good behaviour and commit no further offences.
He was also directed not to use any form of VPN (virtual private network) or proxy server, reports Breaking News.
When asked if he understood the conditions, Lynn replied: “Yes, Judge”, reports Breaking News.
Judge Aylmer confirmed that bail would be granted subject to the conditions outlined to Lynn.
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