By Eoghan Dalton
A Waterford woman has avoided prison for a post on social media identifying two teenage defendants in a murder trial.
Rebecca Ryan, with an address Priory Lawn Ballybeg, Waterford appeared in the District Court on Thursday for the charge.
Ms Ryan was charged with two counts relating to the publication on Twitter, in June last year, of images of two boys who were convicted of the murder of a girl in Dublin in 2018.
The 25-year-old shop manager pleaded guilty to identifying the boys in the post, which included red circles around the heads of two individuals in the tweet.
A court order was in place at the time preventing the boys from being named.
Rebecca Ryan told the court on Thursday afternoon that she deeply regretted the post and apologised for causing hurt to families who were trying to move on from the case.
Defence solicitor Hilary Delahunty said his client had undertaken courses in data protection and children's development since the case came about.
The maximum punishment for the charge was a 12-month sentence and/or €1,500 fine.
Judge John O'Leary said it was a grave matter as Ms Ryan had disobeyed a court order and broken the law, but took into account her apology and efforts since.
He said Ms Ryan had endured distress as a result of the post, including receiving hate mail and handed down a €1,200 fine.
