A mother of three who sent a “vile” Christmas card to an 11-year-old girl has been ordered to pay €600 into a court poor box.
The woman (45) pleaded guilty at Kilrush District Court to sending a card through the post which contained words that were indecent, grossly offensive and obscene.
Judge Patrick Durcan said the woman sent "this vile package" of a malicious nature to the girl at a sensitive time in her development. The girl came screaming to her mother after opening the card last December, the court heard.
Gardaí deemed the content of the card to be so offensive it could not be read out in open court but did state the girl was called “a bitch” and that it included words to the effect of “we all hate you”.
Outside court, the girl’s father said: “It was a horrible and a grotesque thing to write to an 11-year-old. It was a despicable act.”
Judge Durcan read out a victim impact statement from the girl who has been receiving counselling as a result of the incident.
“When I first got the letter I was upset and kind of confused. I was a little mad and I really didn’t understand why someone would do it to me,” the statement said. “I was kind of relieved when I found out who it was because I didn’t really want to have to go to school and think did this person sent it to me.”
The court heard that in order to identify the sender's hand-writing, the girl's parents put the card up on Facebook and soon after the woman presented herself to gardaí.
When charged by gardaí, the woman said: “I’m so sorry. I was so wrong. If I could change things I would. I will never do anything like that again.”
The court heard that matters were fuelled by an incident between the defendant’s daughter and the victim when they were both aged eight.
The court heard the woman text the girl to say that she was sorry and also wrote a letter of apology that was not accepted.
Judge Durcan said the woman had no previous convictions, was having difficulties at the time and and has received medical attention.
Striking out the matter after the woman agreed to pay €600 to the court poor box, Judge Durcan said: “It seems to be at this point that the defendant has probably suffered considerably”.
