Man (40s) arrested as part of investigation into posting false allegations on social media

Ellen O'Donoghue

A man has been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into the creation and dissemination of false allegations on social media.

The man, in his 40s, was arrested on Tuesday, October 15th in Co Wicklow during the course of a search.

An investigation commenced in June 2024 when an image of a man travelling on a bus in Newtownmountkennedy was circulated online, accompanied by claims that he was behaving inappropriately towards a minor.

Gardaí established that the allegations of inappropriate activity towards a minor, or any other person, were unfounded and false.

A garda statement said that the publication of the false allegation on social media caused serious anxiety and concern for the individual depicted, and created alarm and concern tending to give rise to apprehension for the safety of people in the local community.

During an operation led by gardaí from Wicklow North CE Functional Area on Tuesday morning, a residential property was searched in south Wicklow, resulting in the seizure of several mobile phones and electronic devices.

A man (40s) was arrested at the scene and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 for an alleged offence under Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act, 1976 at a garda station in Co Wicklow.

The investigation is ongoing.