Former Fianna Fáil councillor to be sentenced for harassing waitress

Olivia Kelleher

A former Fianna Fáil councillor who harassed a 25-year-old waitress at work will be sentenced next month.

Joseph O’Donovan, formerly known as Gary O’Flynn, appeared before Cork District Court on Friday, having previously pleaded guilty to one count of harassment.

The harassment occurred on three occasions in late July/early August 2022.

Judge Mary Dorgan said that the “good news” was that Mr O’Donovan had been assessed as being of “low risk” of reoffending. She described the victim impact statement furnished to the court as a “compelling read.”

Judge Dorgan said that she continued to have certain concerns in relation to the case. She asked defence solicitor Frank Buttimer to have his client furnish proof of his ASD diagnosis and his qualification as a solicitor.

Judge Dorgan said that she also wanted to hear of the steps taken by Mr O’Donovan to address his issues with alcohol.

She described the victim impact statement in the case as having been a “compelling read” before remanding Mr O’Donovan on bail for sentencing on December 4th next.

Meanwhile, Sgt John Kelleher previously told the court that Mr O’Donovan (49) went to a restaurant in Cork city centre on July 30th, 2022. He stayed for two hours during which time he was drinking wine.

He flagged down a waitress and kissed her on the hand telling he that she was “the nicest and prettiest girl he had ever seen.” He continued to engage the young woman in conversation whilst he was in the restaurant. His behaviour made her deeply uneasy.

Mr O’Donovan of Melvindale House, Coolowen in Blarney, Co Cork returned to the restaurant on August 1st, 2022.

Sgt Kelleher said that Mr O’Donovan wanted to be served by the same waitress. He ordered food and wine.

The waitress felt that he was continuously staring in her direction. He again took her hand and kissed it. He breathed in to her ear and said ‘Meet me outside for a tip and I better get your phone number for it.”

The court heard that Mr O’Donovan then went outside and started staring in the window. Sgt Kelleher said the waitress went out and told the accused that he wasn’t welcome and should leave.

“He (Mr O’Donovan) went back in again and asked (the waitress) could he see her again. He was asked to leave by management. He threw a fifty euro note at the waitress.”

Mr O’Donovan returned to the restaurant on August 6th, 2022 at around 10.30pm when the premises was near closing.

The waitress told him to leave and Mr O’Donovan said that he was ‘sorry’ and that he ‘couldn’t help it.’

Mr O’Donovan was arrested later that month. He told gardai he thought young woman was “very pretty” and that he kissed her hand in a manner seen in movies. He claimed that he had carried out the gesture out of politeness and courtesy.

Mr O’Donovan said that he was under the impression that his interactions with the woman were “congenial.” He claimed that he never meant to upset her. He insisted he was very sorry for what had occurred.

The young woman who was harassed by Mr O’Donovan opted to give her own victim impact statement.

She said that she had waited three years to have her say in court about what happened to her.

“For three years I have never stopped looking over my shoulder when I heard steps behind me.

"This man (O’Donovan) looked me in the eye and called himself a creep. This man looked me in the eyes and called himself a stalker. Then laughed about it.

Laughter with a laugh that still makes me recoil in fear to this day. That moment has never left me. Because I that moment I realised I wasn’t dealing with someone who didn’t understand boundaries, but someone who chose to violate them.”

Joseph O’Donovan, when he was known as Gary O’Flynn, was a sitting councillor in Cork city from 2003 to 2008.