Pancake mix thrown over dentist’s car during ‘campaign of harassment’ by Limerick couple

A LIMERICK couple embarked on a “campaign of harassment” against a female dentist which included turning up outside her place of work, throwing pancake mix over her car, falsely accusing her of sexual impropriety and sending her a vulgar Valentine’s Day card.

Limerick Circuit Court heard the harassment started because the dentist told one of the accused – Emma Maun, aged 28, of Sheahan’s flats, Main Street, Askeaton – that her dental needs were too complex and referred her to the maxillofacial unit in University Hospital Limerick.

The dentist, in her victim impact statement, said: “I feared for my safety and for those that I cared about.”  

Ms Maun and her partner – Michael De Sousa, aged 36, of Sheahan’s flats, Main Street, Askeaton – were both found guilty  of harassment by a jury after a month-long trial on Thursday, July 4. Mr De Sousa pleaded guilty to criminal damage and two counts of making a false report or statement to gardai.

They were before Judge Dermot Sheehan on Monday for sentencing. Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan, instructed by State solicitor Padraig Mawe, gave a summary of the evidence with the assistance of Garda Patrick O’Sullivan.

Mr O’Sullivan said the victim, who the judge ordered can only be described as a dentist practicing in the Mid-West, finished treating Ms Maun on October 18, 2021.

The barrister said Ms Maun first contacted the victim through a direct message on her Instagram account that she was unhappy at being referred to the maxillofacial unit. Mr O’Sullivan said that the victim explained Ms Maun’s needs were so complex that she could not give her the treatment she required.

“Matters escalated in January 2022. Both accused started appearing regularly outside her place of work. They did not have an appointment or had no business there. Neither said anything – they stared at her as she walked in. This was alarming for the victim. She formed the impression they were waiting for her,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

The court heard the victim received an “extremely vulgar” Valentine’s Day card from an unidentified person, which caused a “sense of disgust and fearfulness” in the victim.

“This heightened her level of anxiety,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

The court heard the victim noticed Ms Maun driving right up behind her and continued to follow her until the dentist pulled into a petrol station.

The prosecuting barrister said the couple were “loitering” outside the victim’s place of work on March 7, March 8, March 9, March 10 in 2022.

“On March 14, 2022, the victim came out of her house around 8.10am to see her car was ‘destroyed’. A cream like liquid was on the roof and back window. It turned out to be pancake mix. There was damage to a wing mirror. She made an effort to clean it and went to work. When she arrived, the accused were standing in the car park, clearly waiting for her and looking out for their handiwork,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

The court heard Mr De Sousa made false allegations about the dentist to gardai in Askeaton and in the city in March which included “alleged sexual impropriety without any foundation”.

The couple were arrested and charged and released on bail with conditions including to stay away from and not make any contact with the victim.

READ MORE: Man armed with machete tased in Limerick town

The dentist read out her own victim impact statement in which she said the campaign of stalking and harassment caused stress and worry which were “ever-present in my life”.

“I remember shaking and crying on the phone to my brother when I’d gotten that vulgar Valentine’s card. I remember shaking and crying when I poured water over my car to try to clean it before going to work the morning after it was vandalised.

“I felt such guilt that my work colleagues were stressed about walking around the corner to the post office or to their cars. Some days we would all peer out the window.

“I would constantly check over my shoulder and scan my periphery when walking anywhere. I would check the licence plates of the cars parked around and watch cars behind me with suspicion while driving. It was exhausting and disruptive,” said the dentist.

She said her “world became very small” as she stopped going for lunchtime and evening walks and playing sport.

“I did not feel safe going about my daily routine so I had no option but to alter it.” She told the court that the harassment occurred at the same time that one of her parents was gravely ill.

“I often think that if I was a male dentist, they might not have embarked on this harassment. They considered me a weak, shy woman and chose to torment me. My mind still worries what they might do next.”

She spoke of how stressful the month-long trial was and to see the two offenders “smirking and smiling each day like they were enjoying the experience was sickening”.  

“During the cross examination, with the jury present, the suggestion of anything other than professional conduct as a dentist was humiliating.”

She made the decision to attend court alone, rather than have any of her friends and family identified to the offenders. She said what the defendants did has disrupted her life and sense of peace.

“I put my trust in the gardaí and the court system, and I feel justice has been achieved,” said the dentist who thanked Garda Patrick O’Sullivan for the sheer amount of work he did on the case, Detective Garda Pat Whelan and the numerous gardaí who “were always considerate and attentive even when I felt like I was taking up their time, for reassuring me that my concerns were not trivial and giving me the faith that the behaviour that I had endured would not be allowed to continue”.

Liam Carroll BL, who represented Mr De Sousa, said his client was effectively a “lackey” to Ms Maun in this “whole sorry saga”.

“It was out of a misguided sense of loyalty to Ms Maun,” said Mr Carroll. The barrister said his client did make admissions regarding the criminal damage to the car and making false statements to gardai and his only previous convictions were for minor road traffic offences.

He quoted a report on Mr De Sousa by a clinical psychologist that said he is susceptible to peer pressure and is highly impressionable. The report also said Mr De Sousa has challenges relating to his gender identity.

Mr Carroll said his client was bullied in school, is unemployed and has autism spectrum disorder.

Judge Sheehan said Mr De Sousa made appalling allegations to garda against an innocent person which Ms Maun “had no act, hand or part in”.

The judge asked if Mr De Sousa accepts the verdict of the jury which found him guilty of harassment.

Mr Carroll said no but his client is sorry for what has occurred and will never go near or contact the victim again.

Judge Sheehan said there has been “no explanation” as to why they did this. He spoke of lawful avenues being available.

“There was no complaint made to the dental council or solicitor’s letter,” said Judge Sheehan.

Amy Nix, barrister for Ms Maun, rejected Mr Carroll’s argument that Mr De Sousa was Ms Maun’s “lackey”.

She referred to the same report by a clinical psychologist which said Mr De Sousa has minimal remorse for his actions and is unlikely to change.

Ms Nix said Ms Maun did not make false statements to gardai or damage the car.

“She lives a lonely existence with a small circle of friends,” said Ms Nix.

Both defendants were remanded in custody when they were found guilty on Thursday, July 4. Ms Nix said Ms Maun has found this to be a frightening and sobering experience and misses her daughter “terribly”.

Ms Nix read out a letter penned by Ms Maun and addressed to the judge about how her heart aches and is broken into pieces as she misses her daughter terribly.

“She is all I’ve got,” wrote Ms Maun, who apologised.

READ MORE: All-Ireland winning Clare hurler charged with assaulting 12-year-old boy

Judge Sheehan asked if Ms Maun accepted the verdict of the jury. “No,” said Ms Nix.

The barrister said her client has no previous convictions and asked the judge to consider a suspended sentence and “test” Ms Maun.

Judge Sheehan said it is a complicated case. He adjourned matters to July 26 to consider sentencing. Harassment carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Mr De Sousa and Ms Maun were remanded in continuing custody as the judge said it was “too serious”.

The judge ordered that victim not be identified but to be referred to as a dentist practising in the Mid-West.