Community service and restraining order for man who sent ‘disgusting’ messages

Sean Doyle (29) of Chamberlain Street in Derry admitted a charge of a course of behaviour that was threatening or abusive on April 15.

Derry Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday how the injured party told the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) that she had received texts and messages from Doyle making allegations against people.

He also threatened her that he would see her either in the day or the middle of the night, Derry Magistrates’ Court was told.

The messages left the woman 'terrified'.

The defendant told police he had stopped taking his medication recently and said 'his head was all over the place,' the court heard.

He told the Police Service of Northern Ireland that he had been in a relationship for eight years.

Doyle accepted that the messages were 'grossly offensive' but he said that he would never have harmed her, Derry Magistrates’ Court was told.

Defence counsel Michael Donaghey said that his client's behaviour was 'inexcusable'.

He told the court that the defendant had been 'open and candid' with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and that he was full of 'remorse and shame.'

Doyle was sentenced to one hundred and sixty hours of community service and had a Restraining Order imposed upon him for a period of two years.