Commissioner pays tribute to gardaí who saved Cork woman from violent stalker

Harassment victim Una Ring at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, flanked by Sergeant John Sharkey and Insp Eoghan Healy.

The Garda Commissioner has personally congratulated the gardaí who were involved in the surveillance and capture of a man moments before he was about to break into a woman’s home to rape her.

Drew Harris visited Youghal Garda Station in East Cork to personally meet and thank the officers who were involved in the operation which led to the arrest last July and ultimate jailing last Thursday of James Steele.

Una Ring, the brave woman who was the subject of Steele's obsession, said the gardaí involved had gone “above and beyond”.

“They were outstanding. They were so kind and human about it while at the same time extremely professional,” she said.

Steele, 52, of Reavilleen, Rosscarbery, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to attempting to break in to commit rape at Ms Ring's home in Youghal. He also admitted harassment and related charges.

The victim was at all times at the centre of our investigation

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard how Steele had left envelopes with letters on the windscreen of Ms Ring's car, setting out in horrific detail his threats to rape her.

On another occasion, he painted the tyres of her car pink.

James Steele of Reavilleen, Roscarberry, Co Cork, was sentenced to seven years with the last two years suspended today at Cork Circuit Criminal Court

He was arrested in the early hours of July 27 last outside Ms Ring’s house by gardaí on surveillance duty.

He was masked with a hat and snood, and had a metal crowbar. He had orange rope and duct tape in his pockets. He had a dildo or prosthetic penis strapped to himself inside his pants.

Remanded in custody since that date, he was sentenced to seven years, with the last two years suspended, on Thursday.

Inspector Eoghan Healy paid tribute to Ms Ring and encouraged anyone in a similar situation to contact gardaí.

“Your first point of contact is your local garda station,” he said. “All reported incidents are reviewed daily, and then weekly, and all incidents are considered and assessed in a wider context.

“There is an overall assessment of the incidents and a determination is made as to next steps. All our decisions are made based on our garda decision-making model. In this case, a risk assessment deemed a particular course of action and deployment of resources.

"It had involvement from the entire station party in Youghal, the detective branch in Midleton, search teams in West Cork - across the entire organisation. The victim was at all times at the centre of our investigation.”

CCTV image of James Steele of Reavilleen, Roscarberry, Co Cork, before his arrest.