People suffering from harassment urged to come forward and seek help
Una Ring at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday, flanked by Insp Eoghan Healy and Sergeant John Sharkey, as she saw James Steele jailed for five years. Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Cork Courts Limited
People who are being harassed have been urged to come forward and seek help after a man was jailed for five years for stalking and threatening to rape and harm a Youghal woman.
James Steele, aged 52, of Reavilleen, Rosscarbery, Co Cork, was jailed for five years on Thursday and ordered to stay away from Una Ring and her family forever.
Steele, who did not have a relationship with Ms Ring but became obsessed with her, pleaded guilty to attempting to break into Ms Ring's home in Youghal to commit rape. He also admitted harassment and related charges.
Steele was stopped from carrying out the horrific attack by gardaí on patrol in the area.
Speaking after the case, Ms Ring thanked the gardaí for being so dedicated and catching the perpetrator.
"Being stalked is the most psychologically terrifying situation to be in. It’s like a trapdoor has been opened up beneath you and you are freefalling, waiting after each incident for the next, even worse one to happen and knowing that at some point something horrific will happen."
Ms Ring said she even considered getting a tattoo with her name, town, and date of birth, so if she was abducted and killed, her body would be quickly identified.
Mary Crilly, director of Cork's Rape Crisis Centre, commended Ms Ring and said she hoped other women in similar situations would feel empowered to come forward.
"We have had women call in after this case," Ms Crilly said.
"There are protective services units in the Garda stations now. If you find that one guard wasn't helpful, ask to speak to a sergeant, contact us, and keep at it.
"Don't let it go. Your life is too important."
Caroline Counihan, legal director of the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, said the Steele case involved serious forms of harassment.
"Harassment does not have to be physical. It can take any form to do with watching, following, besetting. To be considered an offence under current legislation, it has to have a serious effect on your peace, privacy, and cause alarm and distress."
Ms Counihan said that from speaking to survivors, this type of harassment can have a devastating effect on people.
She said people experiencing this type of harassment should contact their local rape crisis centre for help.
Ms Counihan said while things are not perfect, improvements have been made in the system. "The gardaí's new divisional protective services units are a positive development. Gardaí seem to be taking a very proactive approach... this was evident in this case, with gardaí being there to catch him."
She said the new Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act will hopefully lead to more convictions under harassment legislation once it is commenced.
"It broadens out the definition of communications... to indirect communications, as well as direct communications."
Dr Catherine O'Sullivan, a lecturer in criminal law and criminology at University College Cork, said many people are not aware of the law around harassment.
Currently, harassment falls under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.
Dr O'Sullivan said she believes this offence needs updating. While a number of examples are provided in the law, such as following, watching, pestering, besetting, or communicating with the person, the word 'stalking' is not used. There has also been confusion about what 'besetting' means.
In England, Scotland, and Wales, this was recognised as a problem, and their harassment law was changed to include offences related to 'stalking'. "This allowed people to recognise what was happening to them was an offence," said Dr O'Sullivan.
She added that the number of harassment reports in England and Wales trebled between 2014 and 2018 when 'stalking' was added into the law.
The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act will amend part of this 1997 Act in relation to harassment.
"Harassment under this amendment will now include communicating with others about the victim, as well as communicating directly with the victim."
Dr O'Sullivan said sentencing in relation to these crimes should be consistent, as it can vary depending on the judge and the individual facts of the case. "We do need sentencing guidelines, work on that has started."
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