‘Like something out of a comedy’

THE judge in the Ivor Callely harassment case said the disgraced politician’s actions were ‘like something out of a comedy sketch’.

Justice Kevin Staunton said he listened to the evidence ‘with some incredulity’ because if these incidents ‘were not captured on CCTV, it would be very difficult to accept they happened’.

The judge said Callely’s behaviour ‘seems so bizarre’ and ‘it’s hard to believe that anyone in their right mind would engage in that behaviour’.

He accepted that a person can ‘flip’ once, but this was not the case here given the multiplicity of charges.

There was an ‘element of sustained harassment’ against Dr Dolan, ‘which cannot be ignored,’ he told the court.

Judge Staunton said Callely attempted to seriously damage the doctor’s practice, and Dr Dolan ‘shouldn’t have to go to work every day looking over his shoulder, wondering what was going to happen’.

The acts ‘were like something out of a comedy sketch’, he said, adding: ‘You can see he thought it was kids messing, initially.’