A Donegal businessman who bombarded his niece with sexually explicit and racially offensive text messages has been jailed.
Martin Hughes (68) of Three Trees, Quigley’s Point, was given a three year prison sentence at Letterkenny Circuit Court this morning after admitting a disgusting campaign of harassment against Michelle Doherty over a five year period.
Ms Doherty, a daughter of former Donegal County Councillor Mickey Doherty, wept as she revealed how she had to leave her job and eventually the country to try and escape the abuse. She said she felt she was “losing her sanity” as the defendant, whose identity she was unaware of until gardai caught up with him, messaged her day and night.
Mickey and Marian Doherty leaving court this morning after seeing Martin Hughes jailed for a five year campaign of harassment against their daughter Michelle.
Sentencing the defendant, Judge John Aylmer described it as one of the worst cases of harassment he has ever had to deal with.
He said the messages were “extremely vile, sexual, threatening, misogynistic and hateful” and that they had an “overwhelming impact” on the victim.
SEE MONDAY’S DONEGAL NEWS FOR FULL REPORT AND REACTION FROM THE DOHERTY FAMILY
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