‘Whistleblower’ pleads guilty to harassing couple

A defendant in a district court case yesterday was “effectively a whistleblower” against himself and others in proceedings of harassment relating to Killarney’s famed jarvey business.

Kevin Counihan, aged 34, from Apt 1, 30 High Street, Killarney, Co Kerry, pleaded guilty to harassing Michael and Julie Sweetman “by persistingly communicating with them, including by means of telephone and internet,” on dates between May 9 and May 25, 2010.

Killarney District Court was told he will be a state witness in a matter due to come before the courts.

Det Garda Jim Murphy said the injured parties, the Sweetmans, had set up a business, Killarney Horse and Carriage, in opposition to a company for which Mr Counihan had been an employee.

The Sweetmans, the detective said, received 241 “nuisance emails”, a huge amount of spam, nuisance phone calls “of a silent nature” and the idea was to jam up their business.

Counihan’s part was confined to the nuisance phone calls solely, the court heard.

They were silent calls. However, the two mobile phones on which they were received were attached to the Sweetman business and when Mr Sweetman would take the call, “people across the street would be laughing at him”, Det Garda Murphy said.

He said it would appear Counihan got involved out of misguided loyalty, having previously worked for a company for 17 years.

Padraig O’Connell, solicitor, said his client could be termed “a whistleblower about himself and others, as well”. His client was apologetic and remorseful and had made a clean breast of things after undergoing counselling for his drinking. Counihan openly apologised to the Sweetmans who were in court, the solicitor added.

Judge James O’Connor remanded Counihan on bail, and adjourned the matter to a later date.