Sh aron N í Bheoláin’s stalker jailed for three years

A MAN who harassed RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ni Bheolain has been jailed for three years for stalking the broadcaster and possessing child pornography.

Conor O’Hora (41), of Heather Walk, Portmarnock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing Ms Ni Bheolain between March 27, 2013, and January 7, 2014.

O’Hora, who superimposed Ms Ni Bheolain’s head on more than 30 pornographic photos, further pleaded guilty to three counts of knowingly possessing child pornography on a mobile phone and on a computer hard drive at Station Road, Portmarnock, on February 18, 2014.

The court heard that the harassment involved posting more than 30 modified photos of Ms Ní Bheoláin on a website which was reachable through a Google search of her name.

The pornography charges in- volved the possession of roughly 100 images of children and 40 sexually explicit and violent online conversations between O’Hora (left) and a co-accused. Some of the online discussions related to Ms Ní Bheolain, while others related to three identified children. Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Martin Nolan condemned O’Hora’s “insidious form of harassment” and “debasing behaviour” and handed down a four-and-a-half-year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended.

“The information on her will be out there forever,” said the judge, who also ordered O’Hora not to seek to contact Ms Ní Bheolain in any way.

“I’ve no doubt it caused considerable distress to the complainant and her family. He must have known that.

“It was reprehensible and he should be thoroughly ashamed.”