The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast: Kathleen Funchion on abuse, coercion and the end of a legal battle

Sinn Féin MEP reflects on coercive abuse, legal battles and the appeal ruling under Coco’s Law

Kathleen Funchion opens up about coercive abuse after appeal refusal in Coco’s Law case.

“I suppose from early on there was red flags that I didn't want to see, if I'm being perfectly honest,” says MEP Kathleen Funchion of her relationship with Sean Tyrell, who yesterday lost an appeal against the sentence he received for offences under Section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, also known as Coco’s Law.

The refusal of the appeal and the increase in Tyrell’s sentence for sending malicious and defamatory messages about his then partner marks the end of a three-and-a-half-year legal process for the Sinn Féin MEP.