Jail time ‘inevitable’ for Garda detective who called solicitor a ‘useless hobbit’
A CUSTODIAL sentence for a Garda detective found guilty of harassing a State solicitor whom she called an ‘incompetent, useless hobbit’ and to whom she sent abusive letters and emails ‘is inevitable’, a judge has said.
Judge Melanie Greally ordered Eve Doherty, 50 – who had pleaded not guilty to harassing Elizabeth Howlin, whose ex-husband she was dating – to be placed in custody on Monday ahead of sentencing in January.
Over an 18-month period, between 2011 and 2013, letters and emails were sent to Ms Howlin’s home, place of work and GP calling her a ‘corrupt b***h’ and an ‘incompetent, useless hobbit’.
‘A custodial sentence of some sort is inevitable,’ Judge Greally told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, setting a sentence date of January 19 next year.
Doherty, of Blackglen Road, Sandyford, Dublin, was found guilty by a jury of harassing Elizabeth Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013 following a two-week trial last July.
She was found not guilty of two counts of making false statements on two dates in March 2012, in which she claimed Ms Howlin was perverting the course of justice.
At the time in question, Ms Howlin worked with the Director of Public Prosecutions where she was involved in deciding whether or not to direct prosecutions in criminal cases.
Doherty held the position of detective sergeant and worked in the crime and security division of An Garda Síochána.
The court heard that Ms Howlin didn’t know Doherty until the trial and that Doherty was then in a relationship with the victim’s ex-partner. A victim-impact statement was handed into court from Ms Howlin, but was not read out.
Kerida Naidoo SC, prosecuting, said Doherty sent emails from a Dublin city centre internet café to hundreds of recipients using anonymous accounts. The court heard she holds a degree in cyber-crime.
Following a Garda investigation that involved contacting the Canadian email server company Hushnet, gardaí tracked down the internet café from which the emails were being sent.
Doherty was arrested after she sent an anonymous email from the café while wearing sunglasses and a wig.
As well as letters and emails, Doherty distributed leaflets around Ms Howlin’s housing estate, falsely claiming that Ms Howlin, who is a distant cousin of Labour leader Brendan Howlin, was a political appointee and that she would ‘pull’ files to prevent the prosecution of anyone connected to her or the Government.
Doherty was suspended from An Garda Síochána but is currently still a serving member of the force, the court heard.
After her arrest, she spent a month in St John of God psychiatric hospital. She has no previous convictions.
A 13-page psychological report was handed into court, which said Doherty suffered from severe workrelated stress, depression, anxiety, paranoia and suicidal ideation.
Defence counsel Michael O’Higgins SC asked Judge Greally to consider imposing a community service sentence.
However, Judge Greally rejected this, noting the lack of a plea of guilty and a lack of any evident remorse for her actions.
‘Lack of any evident remorse’