A man who made threats against Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison, with the last 15 months suspended under strict conditions, reports RTE.
Richard McGreevy, 29, from Whitechurch Place, Rathfarnham in Dublin, admitted to two charges of threatening to kill or cause harm.
The offence carries a maximum sentence of ten years.
Ms. McDonald stated that she felt fear following what she described as a “cowardly threat” to shoot her, but she refused to let any “bully” stop her from carrying out her work, reports RTE.
She expressed these sentiments in a victim impact statement that was read to the court during McGreevy’s sentencing hearing.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told that McGreevy posted videos on TikTok on July 16 last year, in which he issued threats against Ms. McDonald and Mr. Harris.
These videos were viewed thousands of times on TikTok and were subsequently reshared on Facebook and X, previously known as Twitter, the court heard, reports RTE.
James Dwyer SC, representing McGreevy, argued that his client was not driven by political ideology but was instead a socially isolated “lonely keyboard warrior” who acted impulsively rather than maliciously, without grasping the consequences of his words.
Neither the Sinn Féin leader nor the Garda Commissioner attended the sentencing hearing.
In her victim impact statement, which was read to the court by prosecuting barrister Antonia Boyle BL, Ms. McDonald said that, like many public figures, she had become used to “routine abuse, aggression, and casual threats” on social media, reports RTE.
However, this case was different.
She pointed to the direct threat to shoot her “for free,” the perpetrator’s willingness to harm her personally, and the implied readiness to do so on behalf of someone else.
Ms. McDonald said that while the way the video was presented might have seemed “bizarre, maybe even laughable,” the threat itself was “real and chilling.”
“I was afraid and angry. My family were enraged and afraid,” she stated, reports RTE.
She emphasized her right to live and move freely without fear, just like any other citizen, saying that this right was fundamental to both her personal freedom and her ability to fulfill her democratic role.
Describing the threat as cowardly and designed to intimidate her while encouraging others to target her, she acknowledged the distress, anxiety, and anger it caused her but affirmed, “I will not allow any bully to stop me from doing my job,” reports RTE.
Mr. Harris opted not to provide a victim impact statement, with the court being told that he felt his original complaint sufficiently reflected the impact on him.
The court was shown the videos on a laptop, with Judge Martin Nolan reviewing the footage.
In the clips, McGreevy made statements such as “Drew Harris, you should be taken out,” suggesting he be dragged to Dolphin’s Barn or Dublin Castle and executed, reports RTE.
He also stated that the Garda Commissioner should be “shot in the head by the IRA” and added, “I’m not even joking… F*** you, Drew Harris, you’re next, you’re getting it, I don’t give a f*** if I get years for it.”
McGreevy continued with further threats, saying, “Drew Harris, I’m coming for you… I’ll rip your head off,” reports RTE.
He also used derogatory language, referring to Mr. Harris as an “English bastard,” “English speccy-eyed bastard,” and “little p****.”
McGreevy went on to say he was making “a couple of videos about what happened yesterday,” adding, “F*** Drew Harris, he’d be getting shot, f****** blasted,” reports RTE.
Regarding Ms. McDonald, he stated, “See Mary Lou, I’ll shoot her myself for free, I’ll do her for free. F****** little rats.”
Following his arrest, McGreevy admitted, “This is about those f****** posts to kill Mary Lou. They were f****** stupid. I was expecting you,” reports RTE.
During questioning, he told gardaí that he had never had a video gain so many views, that he hadn’t intended for it to go viral, and that he had removed it.
McGreevy expressed shame and regret, saying he never meant to cause harm or make anyone feel threatened, explaining that he had simply been ranting. However, he admitted that he should not have made those statements.
A section of his apology letter was read in court, where McGreevy described his actions as “stupid,” reports RTE.
He insisted that he “didn’t intend to cause distress with his words” and expressed remorse.
His defense counsel detailed his background, mentioning that McGreevy had been using cannabis since his teenage years but had remained drug-free since his imprisonment.
Mr. Dwyer also highlighted that McGreevy had an acquired brain injury and had suffered physical abuse from a relative during childhood, reports RTE.
The court was urged to consider his early guilty pleas, his expressions of remorse, and his personal history.
When delivering the sentence, Judge Nolan described the threats as “extreme and frightening,” stating that public figures were entitled to peace of mind.
He acknowledged that the videos would have been “very disturbing” for the victims, adding that such contributions “poison social discourse” and encourage certain individuals to behave violently, particularly towards public figures, reports RTE.
The judge also criticized the threats made against Mr. Harris, calling them “odious,” and commended Ms. McDonald for her “gracious” victim impact statement.
He stressed the seriousness of the threats and, while noting that McGreevy had no real intention of carrying them out, acknowledged that the victims had every reason to be alarmed by their content, reports RTE.
Judge Nolan recognized McGreevy’s “long, complicated, and sad history” and concluded that on the day of the incident, he had been frustrated with life and had certain grievances.
Taking into account McGreevy’s background and mitigating factors, the judge sentenced him to three and a half years in prison, suspending the final 15 months under strict conditions, reports RTE.
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