A 31 year old man has been jailed at Derry Magistrate’s Court for posting threatening messages towards the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council.
Kevin Barry McIntyre of Miller Street in the city had been convicted of two counts of sending messages of a ‘menacing nature’ on May 2nd and May 4th last year.
The court heard that the posts about Councillor Lillian Senoi Barr, the North’s first black Mayor, was headed ‘terrorist alert’ and said she would be removed from the city, ‘dead or alive’.
McIntyre was interviewed by police on May 5th and responded that ‘everyone leaves Derry dead or alive’. He denied making threats, saying that was simply one interpretation of the messages.
Defence counsel Michael Donaghey said his client had always accepted he had posted the comments but maintained that he did not intend to put anyone in fear.
The barrister said that perhaps the defendant had learned a lesson, and suggested a community service sentence.
Judge Barney McElholm said he wouldn’t inflict this man on the community.
He said the posts were ‘offensive’, and then in his pre-sentence report McIntyre claimed the Mayor was racist against the people of Derry.
The judge also pointed to previous posts in which McIntyre claimed Foyle MP Colum Eastwood where McIntyre was responsible for deaths due to the Covid vaccine.
Jailing him for five months, Judge McElholm said McIntyre was ‘a racist’ who had the opportunity to show some remorse and understanding, but had chosen not to do so.
In a statement this afternoon, Cllr Barr said today’s verdict is not just about justice for her, it is a victory for everyone who believes in standing up to hate, intimidation, and threats against public service.
Judge McElholm said McIntyre ‘deserves no consideration from this court nor would he get any’.
She says no-one should face fear for simply stepping forward to serve their community, and there is a clear line between free speech and criminal behaviour. If you cross it, there will be consequences.
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Mayor’s statement in full –
Statement from the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr
I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support of my community, colleagues, and loved ones throughout this challenging time.
Today’s verdict is not just about justice for me, it is a victory for everyone who believes in standing up to hate, intimidation, and threats against public service.
No one should face fear for simply stepping forward to serve their community.
The sentencing sends a powerful and unambiguous message: those who use threats, harassment, or hate speech to silence others will face the full weight of the law.
There is a clear line between free speech and criminal behaviour. If you cross it, there will be consequences.
At a time when many feel hopeless, when too often, those in positions of power embolden division and hatred instead of fostering unity.
This case stands as a reminder that we do not have to accept that as our reality.
We can, and must, push back against the forces that seek to divide us. Our peace, our communities, and our shared future depend on it.
Hate and intimidation have no place in our society. We must stand united against those who would tear us apart and uphold the values of respect, decency, and justice.
My commitment to serving all the people of Derry and Strabane remains unwavering, and I refuse to be deterred by those who choose the path of hate over progress.
To anyone facing similar threats or harassment: you are not alone. There is strength in standing together, in speaking out, and in refusing to be intimidated. Today is proof that justice prevails and that our communities will not be silenced by fear.
