Woman admits making false complaints to gardaí about six men and three women

Sonya Egan (43) pleads guilty to 14 charges over five-year period

Sonya Egan (43) pleaded guilty to making false reports. Photograph: Provision
Sonya Egan (43) pleaded guilty to making false reports. Photograph: Provision

A 43-year-old woman has been remanded in custody after she pleaded guilty to 14 charges of making false complaints against six men and three women in Cork city over a five-year period.

Sonya Egan of The Lawn, Lios Cara, Killeens, Co Cork pleaded guilty when she was arraigned on the 14 charges at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where she appeared by video link.

Egan’s counsel Ronan Munro SC had told Judge Helen Boyle that his client could be arraigned on the charges.

Egan broke down in tears when the first charge was put to her, and Mr Munro applied for a short adjournment to allow him to discuss the matter with his client by telephone.

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When the arraignment recommenced, Mr Munro asked if the charges could be put to client in reverse order from 14 back to 1 and when this was done, she pleaded guilty to all charges.

Egan pleaded guilty to eight counts of making false statements and six counts of making false reports against the six men and three women on various dates between 2016 and 2021.

The false statements were made by Egan at Garda stations in Dublin and Cork.

The offences are all contrary to Section 12 of the Criminal Law Act 1979 and carry a maximum penalty of five years if a person is convicted on indictment at Circuit Court level.

Judge Helen Boyle adjourned the case until April 17th for mention at Cork Circuit Criminal Court when it is anticipated that a date will be set for the sentencing.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times