By Declan Brennan
A truck driver who referred to refugees as “rape-ugees” and threatened to throw “their bleeding corpses into the sea” has been jailed for two years for incitement to hatred.
In 2023, Graham Carey (42) made a livestream on Instagram in which he said refugees were “here to rape women and children.”
He also called on members of the public to gather at Finglas Garda Station.
The recording was made in the days following an allegation made by a local woman that she had been sexually assaulted by a refugee.
This led to days of anti-immigration protests even after it emerged that the alleged assault was carried out by a white local man.
Carey’s 30-minute broadcast on January 30, 2023, was livestreamed and also recorded and posted on social media.
Carey of Dunsink Drive, Finglas, was later arrested and charged with using words that were threatening, abusive and insulting, and intended to or likely to stir up hatred.
He was also charged with distribution of recordings of images or sound likely to stir up hatred.
He pleaded not guilty to both offences, which are contrary to the 1989 Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act. A jury unanimously found him guilty on both counts after a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last April.
Today, Ms Justice Patricia Ryan described it as a serious crime and as planned and premeditated. In mitigation, she took account of his admissions made during interview and his excellent work history.
She handed down an 18-month sentence on each count, to run consecutively. She suspended the final year of the three-year sentence on strict conditions.
The judge cleared members of the public from the courtroom after the defendant refused to go into the dock and remained in the body of the court during his sentencing hearing.
The judge noted the defendant, who prefers to be called ‘Graham’, “does not want to instruct a solicitor and does not want to be referred to as ‘Mr Carey’…and I’m happy and I’m grateful that the press are here in court.”
The judge said only his sister was allowed back into the court so long as she did not disrupt proceedings.
He asked to be put into protective custody as he was led away and said “my life is going to be even more in danger” as he was led away by prison officers.