Irish People Party election candidate charged with harassing a garda
Olivia Kelleher
A former European election candidate for the Irish People Party has appeared before Cork District Court charged in connection with the alleged harassment of a garda.
Ross Lahive of Church Street, Shandon in Cork, attended the Bridewell Garda Station in the city on Thursday morning by appointment.
He was charged that on dates between October 9th, 2022, and February 6th, 2025, he harassed a garda.
The alleged offence is contrary to Section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
Detective Sergeant Christopher Cahill described the alleged actions of the accused as a “campaign of harassment".
He said that the impacted garda felt “intimidated” and “distressed” by the actions of the 46-year-old.
Dgt Sgt Cahill gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. He said that Mr Lahive made no reply when the charge was put to him after caution shortly before 10am today.
He said the charge arose from an incident where the garda was dealing with a matter at a public event in October 2022.
The garda arrested Mr Lahive at the event. It is alleged that footage of the garda was video recorded at the event and posted on social media.
Dgt Sgt Cahill said that it is further alleged that on February 22nd 2023, the same garda was walking outside Cork District Court in the city, having given evidence in a case, when he was approached by Mr Lahive and his co-accused.
The garda was wearing a civilian jacket over his Garda uniform.
It is alleged the garda was accosted, verbally abused and followed down Anglesea Street in Cork city by Mr Lahive.
The garda was allegedly recorded and live-streamed on social media by the co-accused in the case, with video of the interaction subsequently being posted on Facebook.
Dgt Sgt Cahill said that the garda was afraid to get on his bus home. He was particularly concerned about the possibility of being followed by Lahive and his co-accused.
It is the case of the State that the video footage was posted on Facebook later that day with a caption which contained derogatory comments about the garda. The video was also allegedly reposted in August and December 2023 and in February of this year.
Judge Dorgan accepted jurisdiction in the case in the event of a guilty plea being recorded. If the case is contested, it will be sent forward to Cork Circuit Court.
Sgt John Kelleher said that Mr Lahive also allegedly posted video footage of the Garda last night and this morning. This does not form part of the charge currently before the court.
Mr Lahive said that he was made aware on Tuesday of his appointment with gardaí this morning. However, he insisted that bail conditions hadn’t been discussed at that point.
When asked by Sgt Kelleher if he thought that posting a video of the Garda last night and this morning was appropriate, Mr Lahive replied, “I felt that it was my constitutional right under freedom of speech.”
There was no objection to bail in the case. Mr Lahive gave an undertaking to abide by his bail conditions, including refraining from making comments on social media about the case. He was remanded on bail on his own bond of €1,000 to appeal before Cork District Court on November 20th next.
Free legal aid was granted. Defence solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher said that his client was on a community employment scheme and in receipt of €1,000 a month. Mr Kelleher was granted discovery of documents in the case.
Mr Lahive has to refrain from having any direct or indirect contact with the alleged victim in the case. Mr Lahive also cannot post about anything related to the case on social media.
He has to be in possession of a fully charged and in-credit mobile 24 hours a day so that he can be contactable to gardaí. He also has to sign on at the Bridewell Garda Station in Cork city twice a week whilst on bail.
The court heard that the DPP had directed the summary disposal of the case at district court level on a signed plea of guilty.
