Man begins challenge to harassment conviction

Lawyers for a 45-year-old man have begun challenging his conviction for harassing his former girlfriend over four years at various locations in the south of the country.

The Court of Criminal Appeal this morning heard it claimed that the allegations against Seamus Quirke are in the main uncorroborated.

Mr Quirke, of Glencullen, Duntahane, Fermoy in Co Cork, but who is originally from Ballyduff in Co Waterford, had denied the charges.

Grainne Barry told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that Seamus Quirke had followed her at a petrol station in Limerick and bought a house overlooking hers in Cork.

Mt Quirke was found guilty of four charges of harassing Ms Barry on 25 occasions and jailed for two years.

His lawyers today say the jury in his trial should have been given a warning as to the danger of a slew of allegations.

In asking the three-judge court to overturn the convictions, they said the jury should have been warned to analyse every incident alleged to have happened.