O'Doherty denies breaching court order obtained by mother of teen who died by suicide

High Court reporters

Lawyers for Gemma O'Doherty have told the High Court she is the controller of one of three Twitter accounts alleged to have breached a court order not to harass the mother of a young man who died by suicide.

At the High Court on Tuesday, Edel Campbell, who is suing Ms O'Doherty over the use of her son's image on a publication run by the defendant, secured orders directing Twitter to disclose the identities and contact details of the operators, controllers and owners of the other two accounts also alleged to have breached the injunction.

Earlier this month, Ms Campbell sought various disclosure orders from Twitter and Ms O'Doherty in relation to three of the social media's accounts '@irishlightpaper', '@cavandrugwatch' and '@michaelmg3'.

When the matter returned before the High Court, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore was told by Gregory Murphy Bl, for the defendant, that she accepts she is the person in charge of the '@irishlightpaper' Twitter account.

Counsel said his client denies any wrongdoing and said she intends to fully contest all the allegations against her. However, she has nothing to do with and no control over the two other accounts, counsel said.

David Kennedy SC, with Paul Comiskey O'Keeffe Bl instructed by solicitor Ciaran Mulholland for the plaintiff, said that in correspondence, Twitter had said it would not oppose, nor consent to, the orders being sought by his client.

In light of the correspondence from Twitter, Mr JustiCce O'Moore said he was satisfied to grant the disclosure orders sought in respect of the '@cavandrugwatch' and '@michaelmg3' accounts.

The orders will allow Ms Campbell's team to determine who is behind those accounts. It will then be up to Ms Campbell if she wishes to bring a motion against those parties and the defendant for alleged contempt of court.

Previously, the court heard Ms Campbell claims she has been harassed by Ms O'Doherty because she has sued the defendant over the alleged unauthorised publication of the image of plaintiff's late son.

She claims Ms O'Doherty has wrongly and unlawfully used the image of plaintiff's son, Diego Gilsenan, in an article on media controlled by Ms O'Doherty, linking unexplained deaths to the Covid-19 vaccination.

Ms Campbell secured an injunction restraining Ms O'Doherty from harassing the plaintiff, or from publishing Ms Campbell and her late son's images or any personal confidential material about them.

Ms O’Doherty is also restrained from encouraging or inciting others to intimidate the plaintiff.

Removal

The court also ordered Ms O’Doherty to take down and remove any image of the plaintiff and her late son from any form of media that she owns or operates.

The injunction is to remain in place pending the final outcome of Ms Campbell's action against Ms O'Doherty, trading as 'The Irish Light'.

The plaintiff claims Ms O'Doherty is a journalist and the publisher of The Irish Light, a free periodical newspaper, and the publisher/editor of the www.irishlightpaper.com website.

Following Mr Gilsenan's death in August 2021, it is claimed that Ms O'Doherty used the image of the plaintiff's son in an article which it is claimed wrongly stated that he died as a result of the administration of the Covid vaccine.

Ms Campbell, from Kingscourt, Co Cavan, claims that despite making several pleas to Ms O'Doherty to cease using her son's image, the defendant refused to do so.

It is claimed that the picture was taken from RIP.ie and used without consent.

Ms Campbell further claims that the unauthorised and repeated use of her son's image amounts to harassment and a breach of her constitutional rights, and has caused her emotional pain, suffering and harm.

Ms O'Doherty rejects all the allegations of wrongdoing made against her.

 If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can freephone the Samaritans 24 hours a day for confidential support at 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. 

You can also freephone the national Bereavement Support Line run by the HSE and Irish Hospice Foundation at 1800-80 70 77 (Monday-Friday 10am-1pm), and the contact information for a range of mental health supports is available at i. 

In the case of an emergency, or if you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or self-harm, dial 999/112.