Courts / Dublin / Report
Woman avoids jail for sending over 2k 'vitriolic' phone messages to former teacher
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 November 2022, Karen Sutherland, aged 59, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment for sending over 2,000 menacing phone messages to her former computer teacher and another victim between 1 December 2011 and 31 July 2012. The messages included threats, false accusations of rape, and hateful language, some allegedly from a former pupil. Sutherland also sent abusive messages to her own phone to appear as a victim. The court noted her lack of explanation to Gardaí and her ill health, including osteoporosis and use of a walking frame. Judge Martin Nolan described her actions as having a "malign purpose" and causing traumatic effects. She was sentenced to a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term fully suspended, with a permanent prohibition on any intentional contact with the victims. No prior convictions were recorded.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Woman avoids jail for sending over 2k 'vitriolic' phone messages to former teacher. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 1, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 31, 2012 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2022-11-09 Publication
Why: Karen Sutherland (59) could give no explanation to gardaí as to why she had harassed the man and another victim, or why she had also sent abusive messages to herself in order to appear as a victim. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan said Sutherland had "for some malign purpose" decided to interfere with the victim's life, with traumatic effect. "She certainly made his life miserable," said Judge Nolan, adding that Sutherland had sent the messages "in a very cunning way" and had got another innocent man into trouble. Sutherland was sentenced to three and a half years fully suspended and ordered to have no intentional contact whatsoever with the victims forever.
Places mentioned
Topics
Harassment Stalking Sexual Offences Stage Sentence
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