Tag Archives: Harrassment

From top: Retired Kerry District Court Judge James O’Connor; Paul Murphy TD

This afternoon.

Dail Eireann, Leinster House.

Paul Murphy TD asked Taoiseach Micheál Martin:

“On the 14th of July, I raised with you the gross abuse of power by retired Kerry judge James O’Connor.

“I explained how he had abused his position to persistently and completely inappropriately pursue a woman – a vulnerable woman – who was before his court on a family law matter for a sexual relationship.

“Over the summer I was contacted by another woman who told me a very similar story relating to the same judge.

“She was again before him on a family law matter. He approached her repeatedly, he got her number, and then he persistently pursued her.

“There were multiple incidents. I won’t go through all of them. I’ll just quote one incident she told me about.

“She said: ‘He rang me another day and said he had stuff for my case. He told me to meet him at the back door of the courthouse. I went to the back door. He was waiting. He said he didn’t have the paperwork with him. He brought me in there to get the paperwork. Then he lunged at me. I pushed him and left. He obviously felt he could have done anything he wanted to’.”

“There is clearly a repeated pattern of abusive behaviour by James O’Connor, the question is what is the Government going to do to stop this sort of thing happening again.”

Micheál Martin replied that he will consult with others on “how we deal with this”.

Taoiseach says allegations against former judge are ‘very serious’ (RTÉ)

Previously: A Menace In The District Court (Village, June 2021)

Top pic: Valerie O’Sullivan/ Killarney Today

Meanwhile…

Um.

This afternoon.

Meanwhile…

A separate allegation.