Northern Ireland: CFWIJ welcomes the development in Aileen Moynagh’s harassment case

September 17, 2021, Belfast- A teenager has pleaded guilty for harassing and stalking BBC journalist Aileen Moynagh. The boy, whose name cannot be revealed due to his minor status, is seventeen years of age and originally from Dublin. He had harassed Aileen digitally as well as physically for several months starting in October 2020, forcing her to leave her place of residence out of security concerns. The boy has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and autism.

The boy admitted to the act at Dublin Children's Court. He confessed that he had a compulsive obsession with several women journalists including Aileen, and had repeatedly harassed her from October 2020 to February 2021. Within these five months, he had taken up around 40 aliases on the internet and had been barred from Twitter about 150 times. He had also been repeatedly blocked by Aileen, however, he created a new profile to counter that safety measure every time. He had also used several other tactics to harass her. He once sent her a picture of her partner while making threats about their relationship. On another occasion, he pretended to be the mother of a child suffering from autism in order to speak to Aileen. He even arrived in Belfast and came quite close to Aileen’s workplace despite police warnings. As a result of this behavior, Aileen vacated her home for five days out of security concerns. Aileen was not the only woman he had harassed online, however. Reportedly dozens of women have been at the receiving end of his inappropriate behavior.

The boy reportedly suffers through a myriad of mental health concerns including autism and Asperger’s syndrome. His parents have been trying to get him the help he needs since he was eight years old. His solicitor has offered an apology to the journalist while the boy remains out on bail. The court sentence has been postponed to November of this year, while the BBC has come out in support of their employee. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the development in the case. This case is a reminder of the multifaceted threats faced by women journalists on the field. We extend Aileen our solidarity and demand that her safety is immediately ensured. We also understand the unique nature of this case and caution against using this example to further stigmatize neurodivergent members of our community. We hope that the court is mindful of the mental health concerns at play in this case, and while the offender is held accountable for his behavior, he is also provided the mental health assistance he requires in order to ensure not just his safety but the safety of the larger community.