Cork woman avoids jail sentence after subjecting 14-year-old girl to 'reign of terror'

Woman repeatedly called victim ‘fatty’ and turned up outside her school to harass her

At Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge John Martin ordered that the woman, or any third party acting on her behalf, to have no contact of any kind with the injured party for the next two years.

 A 14-year-old girl was subjected to a “reign of terror” by a woman 25 years older than her who repeatedly called her ‘fatty’ and even turned up outside her school to harass her — causing the victim to experience such severe anxiety that she took to extreme dieting and self-harm.

The accused woman, Vanessa Ryan, of 1 Shanavine, Youghal, County Cork, was told that the seriousness of the case merited two years in jail but because of mitigating factors, Judge John Martin said he would impose a 15-month fully suspended sentence.