Derry Court: Jail for man who caused 'distress' to woman with series of abusive messages

Derry Magistrate's Court heard today how people who send abusive messages over social media rarely do it at 10am on a Monday morning but usually at night after consuming alcohol.

Bernard Cooke (30) of Cornshell Fields in Derry admitted a charge of improper use of the communication network on February 6 last year.

The court heard that the injured party said that between 2.30am and 3.10am on that date he had sent a series of abusive messages that caused 'distress' to the injured party.

One of the messages said he was going to 'come to the door' of a female.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said there were ten messages in total and some of them were what he described as 'neutral'.

He said others were 'much worse' and said that the time the messages were sent was significant.

Cooke was jailed for three months and a Restraining Order was imposed for a period of three years.