Gemma O'Doherty has been given another week to turn up to answer why she should not be imprisoned for contempt of the High Court.
Last week a judge ordered that she come before the court on Friday last to answer her alleged refusal to obey an order not to harass Edel Campbell from Kingscourt in Co Cavan. Ms O'Doherty was not in court when the case came before the court again on Friday last but Mr Justice Mark Sanfey agreed to adjourn it for another week.
The case centre's around an action by Ms Campbell who is suing Ms O'Doherty, over the use of her deceased son's image in the "Irish Light" newspaper, which is edited by Ms O'Doherty. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey made the ruling after the being satisfied that Ms O'Doherty had breached the terms of a court order Last June Ms Campbell's lawyers obtained orders from the court against Ms O'Doherty including an injunction restraining the defendant from harassing, intimidating or communicating with the plaintiff and her family.
It is claimed that in a series of video posts made by Ms O'Doherty on dates in June, July, August and September of last year, and earlier this year the defendant has made statements in clear disregard and in breach of the injunction. In his ruling Mr Justice Sanfey said it was very clear what the High Court had in mind when it granted the injunction against Ms O'Doherty last June which was to halt the intimidation of Ms Campbell. The judge said that Ms O'Doherty, and comments posted on the Irish Light's social media account, had made many references about Ms Campbell, and the circumstances of the unfortunate death of her son.
Counsel said that what was said was "clearly designed to intimidate and part of a campaign" against Ms Campbell. who has suffered emotional harm and distress as a result. Ms Campbell, from Kingscourt, Co Cavan, claims that Ms O'Doherty has refused to stop using her son's image and that the unauthorised and repeated use of her son's image amounts to harassment and a breach of her constitutional rights Ms O'Doherty rejects all of the allegations of wrongdoing made against her.
