Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 9390Alleged offence over a tweet · Co. Mayo

Gardaí no longer investigating Stephen Kerr over tweet

BBC journalist Gabija Gataveckaite complained to gardaí about a reply Stephen Kerr left on her tweet, which had reported on a Garda investigation into an alleged death threat against Paul Murphy TD. Kerr's reply said that she and her media colleagues were the media now. Kerr was arrested at his home in Castlebar, Co Mayo, about two years after the complaint. As of 27 May 2026, gardaí based in Ballymun are no longer investigating the complaint.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Gabija Gataveckaite, a BBC journalist, posted a tweet reporting on a Garda investigation into an alleged death threat against Paul Murphy TD.
  • Stephen Kerr replied to the tweet saying that she and her media colleagues were the media now.
Cause
The investigation began after Gataveckaite complained about the reply Kerr left on her tweet.
Where
Kerr was arrested at his home in Castlebar, Co Mayo.
When
Kerr was arrested about two years after the complaint was made.
Investigation
  • Gardaí based in Ballymun are no longer investigating the complaint against Kerr.
  • Gript reported on 27 May 2026 that gardaí are no longer investigating Kerr over the tweet.
Other details
  • Kerr says the complaint was made to annoy him and waste his time.
  • Kerr says the complaint also wasted Garda time and questioned why Gataveckaite waited over one month to contact gardaí.
  • Gataveckaite was on annual leave and did not comment when Gript contacted her.
10 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatHer tweet reported on a Garda investigation into an alleged death threat against Paul Murphy TD. (gript.ie)
  • whatKerr replied that she and her media colleagues were the media now. (gript.ie)
  • causeThe investigation began after a complaint by BBC journalist Gabija Gataveckaite about a reply Kerr left on her tweet. (gript.ie)
  • investigationGardaí are no longer investigating Stephen Kerr over a tweet. (gript.ie)
  • investigationKerr was arrested at his home in Castlebar, Co Mayo, about two years after the complaint. (gript.ie)
  • investigationGardaí based in Ballymun are no longer investigating the complaint. (gript.ie)
  • otherKerr believes the complaint was made to annoy him and waste his time. (gript.ie)
  • otherKerr said the complaint also wasted Garda time. (gript.ie)
  • otherKerr questioned why Gataveckaite waited over one month to contact gardaí. (gript.ie)
  • otherGript contacted Gataveckaite for comment, but she is on annual leave. (gript.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 27 May2026
    Othergript.ie, first report
    Gardaí no longer investigating activist over tweet - Gript

    Reports that Gardaí in Ballymun are no longer investigating the complaint. Kerr was arrested at his home in Castlebar, Co Mayo, about two years after the complaint. Kerr says the complaint was made to annoy him and waste his time. The complainant was on annual leave and did not comment.

    suspect, Stephen Kerr, male, named, irish (judged from name)Stephen Kerrvictim, Gabija Gataveckaite, femaleGabija Gataveckaite