‘It was a cold, calculated attempt to destroy me’

MEP Flanagan on ex-asst verdict

LUKE “Ming” Flanagan said he and his family are “off to have pancakes and enjoy the sun” after his former parliamentary assistant was given community service.

Diarmuid Hayes, 34, from Dublin admitted to a Belgian court last month that he hacked MEP Flanagan’s account and posted a tweet referring to Irish Green Party candidate Saoirse Mchugh “skinny dipping”.

The tweet, posted on September 28, 2020, was shared from a third-party app known as Tweetdeck without Mr Flanagan’s knowledge.

Hayes, who was ordered to complete 150 hours community service when his case was finalised yesterday, told the court that he was upset with the MEP for not renewing his contract and published the controversial post as “a joke” after smoking cannabis.

However, the court heard the social media post had led to Ming’s family being “put through hell” and the MEP was forced to seek therapy due to the online backlash.

According to the prosecutor, the post had been published in the early hours of the morning with a deliberate spelling mistake to make it look like the MEP had been drunkenly searching for photos.

The court heard it was a calculated act of revenge and that Hayes had knowingly thrown the MEP’S honour “to the dogs”.

Belgian police had been working with Flanagan since he made the complaint four years ago. Flanagan said that he did not accept Mr Hayes’ apology, saying: “Sorry doesn’t add up.

“This was a cold, calculated and skilfully carried out attempt to destroy me.”

Hayes was charged with fraudulently intending to damage the reputation of Mr Flanagan and was sentenced to 150 hours of community service in lieu of a 15-month prison sentence, at a hearing at the Palace of Justice in Brussels.

Judge Isabelle Jacquemin also handed him a fine of €5,000 and warned that he would face a 15-month prison sentence if he didn’t comply with the community service order.

After the sentencing hearing, Mr Flanagan tweeted on X: “Done and dusted. Has to pay €5,000 compensation plus costs.

“Destroyed his life. My family and I are now heading off to have

pancakes and enjoy the sun.”

Done and dusted. Has to pay €5k compo plus costs MING FLANAGAN IN TWEET AFTER CASE