Harassment charge against former Fianna Fáil councillor who changed his name struck out

Joseph O'Donovan (47), who was formerly known as Gary O'Flynn, had the case against him struck out by Judge Olann Kelleher because of a delay in the receipt of instructions on the matter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Mr O’Donovan appeared before Cork District Court on foot of a charge brought in August 2022.

He faced a charge of a single count of harassment of a female which involved three dates between July 30 and August 6, 2022, at an address in Cork city.

The charge was brought contrary to Section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.

Det Sgt Katrine Tansley previously gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of the 47 year old.

She said that the accused made no reply when the charge was formally put to him under caution at the Bridewell Garda Station in Cork city last year.

Mr O’Donovan last appeared before Cork District Court on March 1.

On that occasion defence solicitor, Frank Buttimer, asked for the case to be struck out arising out of a delay in receiving DPP directions in the case.

Mr Buttimer said that it was a relatively straightforward single count charge and the delay involved warranted the matter being dismissed.

Judge Kelleher had indicated that he would strike out the charges if the DPP directions were not available by the April 26 hearing of the matter.

He struck out the case against the accused today after being informed that DPP instructions had still not been received.

While the matter has been struck out, it remains open to the State to seek to have the matter re-entered.

Mr O’Donovan of Melvindale House, Coolowen, Blarney, Co Cork, was in court for the brief hearing.

He is the son of former Cork TD Noel O’Flynn, who served in the constituency of Cork North Central from 1997 until his retirement before the 2011 General Election.

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

He took his father’s old seat on Cork City Council in 2003 when the dual mandate ban first came into force.

He ended his political career five years later with his seat going to his brother, Kenneth.

Kenneth 'Ken' O’Flynn has held the council berth since 2008.

Councillor O'Flynn is currently an independent, having left Fianna Fáil in 2020 after 25 years of membership.

He contested the 2020 General Election in Cork North Central as an independent, only failing to win a seat on the 14th and final count.