Man who breached restraining order faces second charge
Carlow Courthouse. Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A CARLOW man who was recently found guilty of breaching a restraining order has appeared before the local district court again on a separate public order charge involving the same complainant. David O’Leary appeared before Judge Geraldine Carthy at Carlow District Court charged with an alleged ‘section 6’ public order offence following an incident outside Carlow Post Office on 6 March 2025.
Anthony Heaney, who operates the Facebook page, gave direct evidence in court. He told Judge Carthy that he and his daughter had been walking up Kennedy Avenue that day when Mr O’Leary approached them and began shouting abuse. He said Mr O’Leary was shouting the word ‘paedophile’ at him.
Mr Heaney continued: “I took my phone out to get evidence. I have a recording but couldn’t get him (shouting abuse) in time. The recording was passed on to the gardaí.”
Mr Heaney went on to describe another incident where something he posted online was screenshotted and reposted by Mr O’Leary and “used against” him.
“I work with vulnerable people and suddenly that’s put online,” he added.
Defending solicitor Joe Farrell asked Mr Heaney if he had recorded his client on other occasions.
Mr Heaney replied: “Yes, on one occasion when he called me a similar name”, adding that he had livestreamed events that Mr O’Leary “has popped into” but said he was not recording him specifically.
Mr Farrell put it to Mr Heaney that “there is no love lost between you”, to which he replied: “No, but I want him to leave me alone.” Judge Carthy adjourned the matter until December.
The charge follows a separate case heard in a previous sitting in which Mr O’Leary was found guilty of breaching a restraining order brought against him by Mr Heaney after an incident at Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Carlow on 12 May this year.
In that case, Mr Heaney told the court that he and his daughter had gone shopping in Tesco when he saw Mr O’Leary standing near one of the entrances to the shopping centre. He said that at one stage Mr O’Leary was “standing looking at him” and that he felt threatened.
Mr Heaney also told the court that he believed Mr O’Leary was responsible for online posts about him and that the defendant had previously gone to his place of work, shouting the word “paedophile” several times.
Investigating garda, Garda Michael Coakley, told the court that Mr Heaney made a statement at Carlow Garda Station and that Mr O’Leary was later arrested and cautioned.
When Mr Heaney’s account was put to him, Mr O’Leary replied: “I agree with everything he said.”
Defending solicitor Joe Farrell told the court that “Carlow is a small place and Mr O’Leary had to go about his business”. Judge Carthy gave Mr O’Leary an opportunity to avoid a conviction on that occasion.
Both the Fairgreen incident and the more recent public order charge have now been adjourned for further hearing in December.
