Ex-partner of Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion appeals severity of sentence on harassment charges

Seán Tyrrell was given a four-month custodial sentence, with a separate four-month jail term suspended for two years

Kathleen Funchion read a victim impact statement to the court, saying Tyrrell 'always had to control the narrative and relationship”. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins 

A judge has agreed to seek a probation report following the appeal of a four-month prison sentence given to the former partner of Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion under Coco's Law.

In April, Seán Tyrrell, of 31 Cypress Grove, Loughboy, Kilkenny, was given a four-month custodial sentence, with a separate four-month jail term suspended for two years, for offences under Section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.

On Friday, Kilkenny District Court heard a severity-only appeal, with Tyrrell’s barrister calling for a probation report to be completed.

The court heard Tyrell was a Sinn Féin party volunteer in 2016 when Ms Funchion was contesting the general election.

He worked in her constituency office, and they entered a “fractious” romantic relationship. They became engaged in December 2017.

The relationship broke down in July 2019, but the couple reconciled several months later and remained together until April 2022.

The court heard Tyrrell developed unfounded “trust issues". He requested access to Ms Funchion’s phone and email, and asked her to take lie detector tests. She was also falsely accused of infidelity.

In August 2022, an email address linked to Tyrrell by gardaí contacted a journalist.

Screenshots of these emails were sent to Ms Funchion, and she was informed if she did not take a lie detector test and arrange a meeting for him with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, he would divulge “embarrassing allegations” to the reporter.

Another email from a different address, which was also linked to Tyrrell by gardaí, said the sender would divulge confidential information regarding Ms Funchion’s friends.

Ms Funchion read a victim impact statement to the court, saying Mr Tyrrell “always had to control the narrative and relationship”.

“The impact that this has had on the rest of my life is that my life has become a very lonely and isolated place where I have issues trusting others,” she said.

“I do not allow people into my life, I question everyone's motivation that is around me, and I can become incredibly paranoid.”

She branded Tyrrell’s actions a “horrible betrayal from a person I once loved”.

The court was told Tyrrell had previous convictions related to road traffic offences. It was argued by the defence a probation report should be completed, saying he was now in full-time employment and was rehabilitating himself.

Judge Cormac Quinn noted Tyrrell had previously pleaded guilty in the district court and the matter was a severity-only appeal. He agreed to a request for a probation report. A new date for the appeal will be set in November.