Breaking News: Man jailed for harassment as court urges urgent Central Mental Hospital place

Breaking News: A Dublin court has jailed a 54-year-old man for six years after repeated harassment of two women, while also urging that he be transferred to the Central Mental Hospital as soon as a bed becomes available. The case is drawing fresh attention in Ireland News to the pressure on forensic mental health services and the legal challenges courts face when treatment spaces are unavailable.

The man, Eoghan Peavoy of Brackenwood Avenue, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to harassing one woman over a period spanning January 2018 to October 2023. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court also dealt with his breach of a previously imposed five-year suspended sentence linked to the harassment of a female barrister. The court heard he has schizophrenia and other serious mental health difficulties, and that he requires treatment in the Central Mental Hospital (CMH), but no bed is currently free.

Breaking News Ireland: What happened in court?

Judge Martin Nolan said the court was left in an “unenviable position”. He noted that the criminal courts are not designed for preventive detention, but also made clear that the offending was serious, repetitive and deeply harmful to the women involved.

In practical terms, the sentence was made up of two parts:

• The judge activated the existing five-year suspended sentence relating to the harassment of the female barrister.
• On the newer harassment case, he imposed a consecutive three-year term, with the final two years suspended on conditions.

That means Peavoy faces an effective custodial term of six years, subject to credit for time already spent in custody. The court also ordered that he stay away from both victims, as well as their families and friends, in perpetuity.

The judge recommended that Peavoy be given a CMH bed “as soon as possible”, reflecting the court’s concern that untreated psychiatric illness is central to the risk of further offending.

Why the Central Mental Hospital issue matters

This Latest Irish News case highlights a recurring problem in the Irish justice system: courts can identify a need for secure psychiatric treatment, but they cannot create capacity where none exists. In this case, defence counsel told the court that medical reports indicate Peavoy needs treatment at the Central Mental Hospital, yet no place is available and he remains on a waiting list.

That raises difficult questions for Irish News readers about how the system handles offenders whose criminal behaviour is closely linked to severe mental illness. Judges must weigh public protection, victims’ rights, and medical evidence, even when treatment pathways are limited.

The Central Mental Hospital is the State’s main secure forensic psychiatric facility. It is intended for people who require treatment in a high-security clinical setting, including some accused or convicted persons whose mental disorder is relevant to their detention and care.

Key issues raised by the case

• Availability of secure forensic mental health beds
• Management of offenders with severe psychiatric conditions
• Protection of victims from persistent harassment
• The limits of sentencing when treatment is delayed
• The role of the Probation Service and prison supports

How the harassment unfolded

The court heard that one of the women met Peavoy once at a public meeting in 2008. Years later, after obtaining her email address online, he began sending large volumes of emails. Some messages referred falsely to a romantic relationship and included references to babies, marriage and sexual contact. Colleagues and public figures were also copied on some communications, which caused embarrassment and distress.

When the woman changed jobs and updated her contact details, the messages resumed within days. The court heard that the conduct escalated further in 2022, when letters were posted to her workplace. During Christmas that year, he called to her workplace and left items including a CV, a book and a Christmas card. She later made a complaint to gardaí.

Between January and October 2023, the court heard that he sent a further 140 emails. After his arrest, the contact stopped. Garda evidence accepted that the messages were invasive, repetitive and unwanted, and that they appeared to come from someone with significant mental health issues.

The second victim, a female barrister, was protected by the conditions of a suspended sentence imposed in March 2024. Those conditions prohibited contact with her, her family and friends. Yet after Peavoy was released from inpatient psychiatric care in October 2025, he resumed contact within three days. The court heard this included emails, texts and WhatsApp messages, some described as gibberish and some sexually suggestive.

What the judge said and why it matters

Judge Nolan’s remarks underline a central tension in News Today court reporting: punishment alone may not address the underlying cause of harmful behaviour when severe mental illness is involved. He said Peavoy’s psychiatric condition meant he was unable to restrain himself from this type of offending and that he had not been able to receive the treatment he needs.

Still, the judge said he had no real option but to activate the suspended sentence because Peavoy had already been given a significant chance by the court. That reflects a basic principle of sentencing: suspended sentences come with conditions, and breach can trigger imprisonment.

At the same time, the recommendation for urgent CMH placement sends a clear message about the need for appropriate medical intervention alongside custody.

Confirmed facts from the hearing

1. Peavoy is 54 and from Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
2. He has schizophrenia and other mental health difficulties.
3. He pleaded guilty to harassing one woman between 2018 and 2023.
4. He also breached a suspended sentence tied to harassment of a female barrister.
5. The court heard he requires CMH treatment, but no bed is currently available.
6. Judge Nolan imposed an effective six-year custodial sentence and recommended transfer to the CMH as soon as possible.

What happens next?

The immediate next step is that Peavoy will remain in custody, with the court recommendation that he receive a place in the Central Mental Hospital once one becomes available. He is also to remain under Probation Service supervision for 18 months under the conditions attached to the suspended part of the latest sentence.

For the victims, the court’s orders are designed to provide long-term protection by permanently barring further contact. For the justice and health systems, the case is another reminder that gaps in forensic mental health capacity can have consequences for public safety, rehabilitation and victim protection.

FAQ

Why was the man jailed?

He was sentenced for harassing one woman over several years and for breaching the terms of a previous suspended sentence connected to the harassment of another woman.

Did the court say he needs psychiatric treatment?

Yes. The court heard medical reports state that he requires treatment at the Central Mental Hospital.

Why was he not sent there immediately?

Because no CMH bed was available at the time of sentencing, according to evidence before the court.

How long is the sentence?

The sentence amounts to an effective six years in custody, with credit to be given for time already served.

Conclusion

This Breaking News case from Dublin is about more than one sentence. It shows how Irish courts are trying to protect victims while confronting the reality that some offenders need specialist psychiatric care that is not immediately available. For readers following Breaking News Ireland, the key takeaway is clear: the sentence addresses the offending, but the wider issue of secure mental health capacity remains unresolved.