Senior garda pays tribute to "immense courage" of coercive control victim who saw her attacker jailed

Gardaí have paid tribute to the "immense personal courage and resilience" of a 43-year-old woman who was harassed, threatened, assaulted, stole from and controlled by a serving garda for over four years after they met online in 2017.

Paul Moody of St Raphael's Manor, Celbridge, Kildare, was jailed for three years and three months at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on a charge of coercive control in relation to the woman within the state on dates between January 1, 2019 and November 30, 2020.  The law for the offence came into effect in January 2019.

Speaking on the steps of the Criminal Courts of Justice, Detective Inspector Cormac Brennan said that he wanted to acknowledge the extreme bravery and courage of the complainant.

"We want to thank you for speaking up and telling your story. You can be proud of your immense personal courage, self-esteem and resilience. In taking that step to speak to An Garda Siochana, to trust An Garda Siochana, and to follow through with your case. 

 "You have shown to any other person out there in an abusive and controlling relationship that when an abusive partner says no one will believe you they are wrong."

The court heard that the man sent the woman over 30,000 messages over those years and in one 14-hour period, in July 2018, sent her 652 messages, amounting to one message every 90 seconds.

The messages were described in court as threatening, vile and abusive. In one message he described her as being “riddled with cancer”, in another, while she was on holiday without him, he said he hoped she would “get raped and bleed”.

In another, after they had a row while on holiday together, he messaged her the following morning and said she was “flaunting your body around the pool” calling her a “dirtbox” and a “scumbag”.

The man threatened to stick a knife in her in one voice message. He also took photos of her naked, unbeknownst to her and threatened to post them online.

Det Insp Brennan said that coercive control was a degrading act of control which could be overwhelming for the victim.

 "Coercive control is about power, is about isolating a partner, about breaking that person down, is a heinous degrading reign of control. Coercive control is overwhelming and that power is even more overwhelming where the abusive activity is by an abuser who appears to hold profession or a position of respect from the community such as in this case, a member of An Garda Siochana."

 He urged anyone who was in an abusive relationship to take the first step and speak to somebody about what was happening to them.

He said: "To any person in an abusive relationship, you have done nothing wrong. You do not need to accept it. You are not alone. Please take that first step and speak to somebody; a guard, a support helpline, a family relative or a friend. You will be believed. 

"An Garda Siochana is committed to tackling domestic abuse. It does not matter who the abuser is. If you speak to us you will be dealt with empathetically, professionally and with respect. We will advise and support you in whatever way you want to deal with your individual case. Please take that first step and speak to someone today."

The detective also acknowledged the professionalism of the garda investigation team and the legal team in investigating and prosecuting this case and the Courts Service and support groups who assisted the case.