A man convicted of maliciously defaming a woman by advertising her as a prostitute on the Internet was placed on probation by Judge Carroll Moran at Castlebar Circuit Court, sitting in Westport, yesterday, after paying his victim substantial compensation.
Francis Kenny (40), of Knock Road, Ballyhaunis, had been given a week to pay the compensation, believed to be up to £30,000, to Ms Maureen Walker, Castlerea, Co Roscommon, a rival in the sandwich catering trade.
In 1999, Kenny had fabricated an advertisement on a prostitute site on the Internet in the name of Mrs Walker, claiming she would provide sex services to men.
Ms Walker received up to 100 phone calls from men seeking the services of a prostitute within two days of the ad's appearance.
Judge Carroll Moran said Kenny's compensation served as a form of punishment in two ways - by virtue of it being a substantial amount and in that it afforded the injured party some recompense.
Judge Moran refused a request by Mr Kevin Kilraine, solicitor for Ms Walker, that Kenny be bound to the peace. He said his intention to apply the Probation Act had not been contested during the previous hearing which Ms. Walker attended.