James Lawless
Question:68. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Justice the number of prosecutions that have been brought under Coco’s Law since it was enacted in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18064/23]
View answerTuesday, 18 April 2023
Questions (68)
Written answers
The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 was commenced on 10 February 2021. Along with other provisions, it created two new offences of sending, or threatening to send, intimate images without the consent of the person whose image it is. It also broadened the existing offence of harassment and provided for a new offence of sending, distributing or publishing a threatening or grossly offensive message by any means of communication with intent to cause harm to the victim, which means our legislation now covers once-off communications as well as harassment.
As the Deputy will be aware, prosecutions are a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The DPP is wholly independent in her functions under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974 (as amended) and, as Minister, I have no role in the operations, governance or oversight of the Office of the Director, which is funded through the Vote of the Department of the Taoiseach.
As a result I am unable to provide any statistical information related to the work of the DPP.
However, I can inform the Deputy that I received information from An Garda Síochána in February of this year in relation to their work which the Deputy may find useful.
At that time I was informed that An Garda Síochána had commenced 72 prosecutions (charges/ summonses), related to 49 investigations, under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.
Gardaí anticipate that the numbers of prosecutions will continue to rise as further reports are received and the consequent criminal investigations progress.
It may also interest the Deputy to know that An Garda Síochána continues to partner with Hotline.ie which has created an online reporting facility that enables victims of intimate image abuse (IIA) to report this type of criminal activity to Gardaí, via the hotline website, while simultaneously making an IIA content removal request. Where victims request, Gardaí will conduct a thorough criminal investigation with a view to prosecuting offenders, while Hotline will engage with the relevant service provider to seek the removal of the harmful content reported.
At the time of receiving this information from An Garda Síochána, 155 reports had been received from Hotline.ie. Following the removal of the reported links by Hotline.ie and further engagement by An Garda Síochána, 99 cases had been closed with no further action requested while 56 cases remained under assessment/ investigation.