Cork woman told social worker 'I am a ticking timebomb' in harassment case

The woman was given a jail term of 15 months, with the last 12 months suspended

The court heard that once when the woman went to the social worker's workplace, the worker was in such fear she locked herself in her office until the accused was gone. 

A Tusla social worker was harassed by a woman who persisted in contacting her in breach of a written communication agreement — repeatedly phoning and turning up at her workplace and once telling her, “I am a ticking timebomb liable to do anything.” 

Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge John Martin has imposed a jail term of 15 months, but suspended the last 12 months, and also backdated the sentence to February when she went into custody.

She was ordered to have no contact direct or indirect with the social worker and to take all the recommendations of the probation service for 12 months following her release from prison.

There is a prohibition on identifying the parties as it could identify children at the centre of the case for whom there is a publication prohibition under the Children’s Act.

Detective Garda Liam Lynch testified that the harassment went on from February 2023 to October 2023 despite a written terms of communication document that had to be put in place because of previous issues, and was agreed by the accused. 

She was not to attend without appointment, limit phone contact to one call per week and that meetings would be terminated if the defendant became abusive.

She breached these terms by demanding callbacks, threatening to attend if not and actually attending. The majority of calls for the social worker were received by administration staff.

On one occasion she said she would call to the workplace in person if she did not get a callback, adding: “This is not a threat. I don’t care if I’m arrested.”  On another day, the social worker had 10 missed calls. 

Another time she got a voicemail from the accused saying: “I am a ticking timebomb liable to do anything.” Once when she did attend the workplace the social worker was in such fear she locked herself in her office until the accused was gone. 

On other days she felt so frightened at work she went home and worked from there instead. Judge Martin said social workers were entitled to come to work without being put in fear like this.