Una Ring’s ‘courage’ praised as she speaks about harassment and rape threats

Una Ring. The public has praised the Cork woman after she spoke out about her ordeal last night. File picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Cork Courts Limited

The public has praised the bravery of Cork woman who was subjected to a terrifying campaign of harassment by a colleague after she spoke out about her ordeal last night.

Una Ring was subjected to harassment and rape threats by a man who she had no relationship with other than being work colleagues.

Last week, James Steele was sentenced to seven years, with the last two years suspended, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

He was caught in a Garda surveillance operation as he was about to break into her home to carry out his threats.

Ms Ring spoke on Claire Byrne Live about the ordeal and about letters that were sent to her.

The letters were left on the windscreen of her car.

Ms Ring previously said that she alerted gardaí to the letters and they then mounted night-time patrols in her park, advised her to install a CCTV system, and conducted a security sweep of her home before suggesting she seal her letterbox to prevent the pouring of petrol through the door.

She said getting the letters was “terrifying” but the mentions of her daughter “brought it to a whole other level”.

She said the mentions of her daughter left her “in a state of panic”.

“When he mentioned my daughter, I was in a state of panic” - Una Ring

Claire Byrne Live hears from Cork woman Una Ring who describes her horrifying ordeal with a stalker. #CBLive pic.twitter.com/ts5XHEcLct

— Upfront with Katie Hannon (@RTEUpfront) February 8, 2021

 

The public has praised Ms Ring for speaking out about what happened to her.

One social media user stated: “Una Ring spoke with such composure about a terrifying ordeal. The courage it must have taken to share her story so publicly for the greater good of raising awareness.

“Hopefully this marks a turning point for the seriousness with which stalking is treated in future.” 

Other social media users praised Ms Ring’s “courage and determination” while adding that she was “so brave to tell her story”.

“Una Ring is an incredible lady,” wrote another Twitter user. “What an absolutely terrifying ordeal. That CCTV footage on @ClaireByrneLive would make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.” 

Ms Ring also discussed how the Gardaí caught the man last July.

The man was armed with a crowbar when he came to the house.

Ms Ring said Garda James Heffernan waited until the man was on her property until he made the arrest.

She said that she was awake at the time and heard “muffled voices” and she heard the “clank of metal because apparently, he threw the crowbar on the driveway next door”.

Ms Ring said she had gone to bed that night fully dressed.

“We knew he was going to come back. We just didn’t know when.” 

I heard muffled voices outside and the clank of the crowbar that he threw into the driveway next door - Una Ring

Una Ring tells Claire about being subjected to a chilling campaign of harassment by a man who tried to break into her house to rape her. #CBLive pic.twitter.com/XwScF5Scya

— Upfront with Katie Hannon (@RTEUpfront) February 8, 2021

 

Social media users have also praised the Gardaí for their "brilliant policework”.

Following the conviction of Mr Steele, Ms Ring thanked the gardaí for their “support and hard work in bringing this case to its conclusion. Each and every member of the gardaí that I met was kind and professional and I owe them a huge debt of gratitude”.

She added: “The win for me is not today although we are delighted with the outcome.

“The win for me was last July when James Steele was arrested on my property and prevented from entering my home and carrying out a brutal attack on myself and my daughter.

“This was done through a garda operation and the dedication of local gardaí in helping keep me and my family safe.

“I would strongly urge anyone who is being harassed to contact your local gardaí for advice and have any incident reported should your situation escalate at any stage.”

Ms Ring said in a previous interview that she feels sorry for his family, who have done nothing wrong. 

“I think I will get over this quicker than they will. This will follow them. My heart breaks for them because I didn’t deserve this, but they didn’t deserve it either," she said.

They, too, will need help and support over the coming months, she added.

Ms Ring, who returned to work on January 12, thanked her family, neighbours, friends, colleagues, her GP, and her psychotherapist, and said she is coping well now.

“He was the only bad apple — everybody else has been absolutely brilliant,” she said.