Ireland Crime

Named as

Victim

Offences

Harassment (Section 4, Harassment and Harmful Communications Act 2020)

Reporting

3 reports, 29 Apr 2025 to 16 Feb 2026

Outlets

rte.ie, irishmirror.ie, kilkennypeople.ie

Photographs

as published, with the outlet's credit

Images are shown from the outlet that published them and link back to the article. Copyright stays with the credited photographer or agency.

• Harassment sentence increased on appeal in Kilkenny Harassment (Section 4

  Seán Tyrrell, 39, of Loughboy, Kilkenny, was sentenced in April 2025 for harassment offences under Coco's Law relating to August 2022, after his former partner Kathleen Funchion, a Sinn Féin MEP, complained to gardaí about his conduct following their split. The court heard that Tyrrell made false allegations of unfaithfulness, accessed Funchion's phone without consent, threatened to expose embarrassing claims to journalists, and demanded she take a lie detector test. He pleaded guilty at Kilkenny District Court and received a four-month custodial sentence with a separate four-month term suspended for two years. In February 2026, Kilkenny Circuit Court increased both sentences to five months on a severity-only appeal, with the suspended term suspended for two years on a €100 personal bond.

  Sentenced, 29 Apr 2025Victim · 3 reports

Each entry shows how that report described them.

1. 16 Feb2026
   Sentencedrte.ie, in Harassment sentence increased on appeal in Kilkenny

   MEP's ex-partner has jail sentence increased on appeal

   victim, Kathleen Funchion, irish (judged from name)Kathleen FunchionIE
2. 30 Apr2025
   Sentencedirishmirror.ie, in Harassment sentence increased on appeal in Kilkenny

   Sinn Fein MEP admits to 'serious' trust issues after ex jailed under Coco's Law

   victim, Kathleen Funchion, female, irish (judged from name)Kathleen Funchion♀IE
3. 29 Apr2025
   Sentencedkilkennypeople.ie, in Harassment sentence increased on appeal in Kilkenny

   Kilkenny politician speaks out as ex-partner, former local councillor, is jailed

   victim, Kathleen Funchion, female, irish (judged from name)Kathleen Funchion♀IE

Matched on the name as printed, ignoring quoted nicknames, and split by the ages reported. Two people who share a name and age would appear together here.