Exposed: Face of man (55) charged over calls to autism campaigner Fiona O’Leary

Eamonn Deegan was arrested in Dublin on Thursday and conveyed to Clonakilty in Cork where he was charged under sections 10.1 and 10.6 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Appearing before Judge James McNulty at Clonakilty District Court, under his Irish name ‘Eamonn O’Duidhegeannain’, Deegan was charged with harassment of Ms O’Leary between June 3 and 7, 2019 in Dunmanway, Co Cork.

He was remanded on bail in his own bond of €1,000 to appear before the court again later in June.

Ms O’Leary recorded the phone calls she received during the period concerned.

In a recording of one of the phone calls made to Ms O’Leary on June 7, a caller, who identified himself as ‘Legion’ can be heard telling her: “I know your address, it’s up on the internet.

“It’s public knowledge. It’s up on the internet.

“What’s a piece of s**t like you doing bothering a beautiful Irish woman like Gemma O’Doherty? You’re dirt with your f*cking dyed hair and your alco husband. You’re nothing!

“They’re [the gardai] are going to send me to prison because I rang you, are they?

“You’re a public figure, I can ring you anytime I want.

“An activist … oh f*ck, listen bitch …

“I’ll drive down, I’ll be there in four hours if that’s what you want.

“That’s right I’m threatening to come down … you asked me to come.” When Ms O’Leary asked the caller what his name was, he replied: “My name is Legion.”

He continued: “Why don’t you f**k off back to the north of England, you c*nt?”

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When Ms O’Leary responded that the caller was a very angry man, he replies: “I am really angry. I’ve been in prison three times. Why don’t you f*ck off back to your own country? Just keep your nose out of politics.

“Look after your f**k up family of freaks!

“I think your family needs to be sent to a vet or something.”

Again Ms O’Leary told the caller he was a very angry man to which he responds: “I am really angry and violent as well. I despise you, that’s my problem.”

Ms O’Leary, a well-known voice for the autistic community, had run as an Independent candidate in Cork South West in 2016.

A carer and mother to five children, two of whom are on the autistism spectrum, Fiona was herself diagnosed as being on the spectrum at the age of 42.

“I am glad that someone has finally been charged in connection with the phone calls I received,” Ms O’Leary told the Sunday World.

“But it has taken far too long and the process to get to this point has been far harder on me than it should have been.”