A judge in a Dublin court has been jailed for six years after a woman’s defamation case against him was dismissed.
The judge in the case, Michael Hogan, has been on a suspended sentence for six months after being found guilty of contempt of court for breaching his duty of care to the woman.
She had filed a defamation complaint against Hogan after he criticised her for allegedly stealing the photos from a photograph gallery that she shared on her Facebook page in 2011.
Her solicitor said her case had been “tragically and unnecessarily dismissed”.
Hogan, who has also been found guilty on other charges, is now on a nine-month jail term suspended for two years, with a further two years suspended for his behaviour in relation to his wife.
His lawyer said he was “very pleased” with the outcome of the case and said he would not appeal the decision.
In a statement, the court said: “The court finds that the defendant breached his duty to the complainant by engaging in a conduct which was likely to lead to a miscarriage of justice.”
The defendant breached the complainant’s right to a fair trial by failing to act in a way that would have minimised the impact of the accused’s conduct.
“Hogan’s lawyer said the court had been considering whether to seek a judicial review.
