Ireland Case No. 4707Harassment and harmful communications (threatening or grossly offensive communication) · Co. Wicklow · 21 Jun 2024
Man charged over social media post about asylum seeker at Bray District Court
Kirk Loco, 44, of Rathnew, Co Wicklow, appeared at Bray District Court charged under Coco's Law over a social media post published on 21 June 2024. The post allegedly contained false claims that an asylum seeker had exposed himself to a teenage girl on a bus.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested15 Oct
3 reports - Charged1 Nov
- In court3 Nov
2 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports58 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA man in his 40s was arrested in Co Wicklow (dublinlive.ie)
- whatSeveral mobile phones and electronic devices were seized from the residence (dublinlive.ie)
- whatAn image of a man on a bus in Newtownmountkennedy was circulated online with claims of inappropriate behaviour towards a minor (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe publication caused serious anxiety and concern to the individual depicted (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe publication created alarm and concern in the local community (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe suspect was arrested on suspicion of creating and circulating a social media post with false and damaging claims about a migrant man. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe post claimed the man was a migrant and had exposed himself to women and girls on the bus journey. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe investigation concerns the creation and dissemination of false allegations on social media. (garda.ie)
- whatKirk Loco has been charged over the alleged sharing of false information on social media about an international protection applicant. (irishtimes.com)
- whatKirk Loco appeared at Bray District Court on a charge of distributing or publishing a threatening or grossly offensive communication about an individual known as MM, with intent to cause harm. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereA residence in south Wicklow was searched (dublinlive.ie)
- whereA man in Wicklow was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into false allegations on social media. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereGardaí searched a residential property in south Wicklow and seized several mobile phones and electronic devices. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe arrest followed a search of a private residence in south Wicklow. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe photograph used in the post showed a man asleep on a bus travelling to Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe investigation concerns false social media reports in County Wicklow. (garda.ie)
- whereMr Loco has an address in Rathnew, Co Wicklow. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe false allegation was made in June 2024 (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe investigation began in June 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe arrest took place on a Tuesday, and the suspect was released from custody on the Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe man was arrested on the morning of Monday 3 November 2025. (garda.ie)
- whenThe social media content was allegedly shared in June 2024. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe alleged offence was a social media post published on 21 June 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeAn image of a man on a bus was shared online with claims he behaved inappropriately towards a minor. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGarda inquiries established the allegation was unfounded and false (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is ongoing (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe man is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Wicklow garda station (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGardaí established the allegation of inappropriate activity towards a minor, or anyone else, was unfounded and false. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí confirmed the investigation is ongoing. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationPhones and other devices were seized for examination. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí found the allegations in the post to be unfounded and false. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (garda.ie)
- investigationHe was arrested early on Monday morning and brought to Bray Garda station, where the charge was put to him. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí arrested Mr Loco at his home at 7.05am on the day of the court appearance. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe alleged offence is under Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act, 1976 (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeThe man is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 for an alleged offence under Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act, 1976, at a Garda station in County Wicklow. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe suspect was being questioned on suspicion of an offence contrary to Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act, 1976. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe man has been charged. (garda.ie)
- chargeHe is charged with distributing or publishing a threatening or grossly offensive communication with intent to cause harm. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe alleged offence is contrary to the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeMr Loco was formally charged at Bray Garda Station at 8.03am. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeMr Loco made no reply to the charge after being cautioned. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeMr Loco is charged under Section 4 (1) and 4 (3) of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe man is scheduled to appear before Bray District Court at about 10.30am. (garda.ie)
- courtHe appeared before Judge David Kennedy at Bray District Court on Monday morning. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe was granted bail and is due to appear at Bray District Court again on 8 December. (irishtimes.com)
- courtGardaí had no objection to bail. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtGardaí sought a bail condition that Mr Loco keep away from IPAS centres and not attend protests or demonstrations. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe DPP directed that the charge could be dealt with summarily at District Court level. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJudge Kennedy reserved his decision on the legal aid application until Mr Loco filed a statement of his means. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMr Loco was remanded on bail to appear again on 8 December. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe false allegation caused serious anxiety and concern to the man depicted. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherA man in his 40s was arrested at the scene. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe post caused serious anxiety and concern to the man depicted. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe arrest is believed to be the first of its kind for creating and circulating false social media posts that did not include threats of violence. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe post allegedly included a photograph of a man asleep on a bus to Newtownmountkennedy and claimed he was a migrant who had exposed himself to women and girls. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe alleged post claimed an intoxicated migrant living in Newtownmountkennedy had exposed himself to a 14-year-old girl on a bus the previous evening. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 3 Nov2025Man in court over social media post allegedly containing false claims
First report of the case. Covers the arrest, charge at Bray Garda Station, the bail hearing, and the remand to 8 December.
- 3 Nov2025Man appears in court over false social media claims about migrant
First report of the charge and court appearance. Adds the court, the bail decision, the next court date, the alleged June 2024 sharing date and the statute cited.
accused, Kirk Loco, 44, male, namedKirk Loco - 1 Nov2025Update: Court Appearance - Investigation into False Social Media Reports in County Wicklow – June 2024
Garda update on a specific arrest and charge in a Wicklow investigation into false social media allegations, with a Bray District Court appearance scheduled. No existing case in the list matches this incident.
accused, 40s, male - 16 Oct2024Gardaí make first ever arrest over false claims made by far right members on social media
Adds that the suspect was arrested after a search of a residence and released on Wednesday, with phones and devices seized and a file to go to the DPP. It identifies the suspected offence as contrary to Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act, 1976, and says the post was made in June and the allegations were found to be unfounded and false.
suspect, 40s, malevictim, male - 16 Oct2024Gardai arrest man as part of investigation into false social media reports
Adds the arrest of a man in his 40s in south Wicklow, the detention at a Garda station, the seizure of phones and devices, and Garda confirmation that the allegation was unfounded and false.
suspect, 40s, malevictim, male - 15 Oct2024Man, 40s, arrested over probe into false allegations that spread online
Reports the arrest of the man in his 40s and the search of a residence in south Wicklow where mobile phones and electronic devices were seized. Confirms Garda inquiries established the allegation was unfounded and false, and that the man is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 for an alleged offence under Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act, 1976.
suspect, 40s, malevictim, male