Cork student with drug-induced psychosis who harassed woman for years avoids jail
A drug-induced psychosis following a 'bad acid trip' saw a student harassing a young woman for years to the point she suffered post-traumatic stress disorder.
25-year-old Luke Horgan, of Bunakilla, Donoughmore, Co Cork, was on Wednesday given a three-year suspended sentence and was reminded by Judge Helen Boyle of an order requiring him to have no contact of any kind with the injured party for the next 20 years.
Paula McCarthy, prosecution barrister, confirmed there were no further incidents of harassment by Luke Horgan.
Judge Boyle said in relation to the gravity of the crime the victim was a friend who came to his assistance when he had a bad trip on LSD. What followed involved persistent texts and communications and even involved the accused showing up at her place of work. He failed to stop even after being told to do by the gardaí.
'She was deeply affected as a result of this and was diagnosed with PTSD. As she said, no one deserves to live in a constant state of fear. She just wanted this to be over — she wanted to get on with college education and work.
'This came against a background of mental illness, of psychosis. You [Luke Horgan] had drug-induced mental illness/ psychosis.
You did engage with the probation service, following harsh words from the court. And you been assessed by probation at being a low risk of reoffending.
'Of concern to the probation service is that they want you to continue with your anti-psychotic medication. If you stop taking your medication you will be brought back before this court and sentenced accordingly. You have to keep going to your GP and psychiatrist and keep taking your medication,' Judge Boyle warned.
Defence barrister Elaine Audley said when the young man took LSD in 2018, it had a terrible effect on him and it led to psychosis. 'She [the victim[ was trying to help him. But [afterwards] he saw her as the only person who could help him,' the barrister said.
While there were extensive contacts by the accused through texts, turning up at her home and appearing where she worked, Ms Audley submitted the harassment arose out of the persistence of the communications rather than threats.
The young woman said in her victim impact statement she no longer felt safe going to college or work or even in her own home. She has had therapy for anxiety and post-traumatic stress and almost lost her job because of the Luke Horgan's repeated appearances at her workplace to see her.
Garda Kay Griffin said the injured party was very distressed when she contacted gardaí in March 2022. The two parties had no relationship other than both of them being in a wider group of friends.
She told gardaí that back at a house after a night out in October 2018, Luke Horgan took a tablet and had a very bad experience that lasted hours and she looked after him that night.
A few days later, he told her she was speaking to him through the lyrics of a song.
The harassment went on from November 2018 until May 2022. Matters abated for some periods but flared up again, most recently in March 2022 when 'he told her he was God or Jesus or something along those lines', Garda Griffin said.
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