Courts / Dublin / Report
Mentally ill man harassed solicitor for months
Summary
John Woodlock, 42, was given a suspended three‑year sentence for harassing a solicitor over a three‑month period from 17 August to 18 November 2021. He had approached the woman near her home, repeatedly called and emailed her, and visited her street, sometimes pointing at a wall with her initials and handing her a document he claimed was a charge sheet. He sent her private messages, tagged her in tweets, and called her a "bitch" in an email. The woman documented the harassment with screenshots and forwarded them to Gardaí. Woodlock was arrested in November 2021, detained under the Mental Health Act, and later released on bail. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and has complied with bail conditions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended sentence, requiring Woodlock to raise €3,000 for the woman within 18 months and forbidding any contact with her forever. If he contacts her again, the suspended term may be re‑activated.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Mentally ill man harassed solicitor for months. Charges or matters: harassment of the woman between August 17 and November 18, 2021. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- August 17 Incident
- November 18, 2021 Incident
- September 2021 Other
- November 2021 Incident
- 2022-07-27 Publication
Why: Detective Garda David Chapman told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that that the woman was so distraught by the harassment that she moved house because she felt she could no longer live there. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: harassment of the woman between August 17 and November 18, 2021 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Nolan sentenced Woodlock to three years which he suspended in full on strict conditions including that he raise €3,000 for the woman within 18 months.
Places mentioned
- Grange Abbey Drive
- Donaghmede
- Dublin
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Beaumont Hospital
Topics
Harassment Stalking Stage Sentence
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