A SECOND MAN has been wrongly identified as a convicted paedophile Anthony Luckwill after an image was posted to Facebook.
It’s understood that a Kerryman was subjected to verbal abuse because of the wrongful identification.
Sergeant John O’Mahony from Castleisland Garda Station told Radio Kerry that they had confirmed that the photo was not of the 44-year-old sex offender and met with the man in question.
“I met this young man and it was obvious to me that he had some mental health issues and I was happy enough that he wasn’t who he was [thought] to be.”
Last month, David Murray was falsely identified as convicted child abuser Anthony Luckwill when his photo was wrongly shared by a commenter on the Facebook page of Kildare Now under an article about Luckwill being in the area.
Murray, who was looking for a house in Monasterevin, needed garda protection after he said locals approached him in the street. He told TheJournal.ie that he was having difficulty sleeping in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Murray said he was ”extremely concerned” about how he was accused and harassed:
… Most of all I am alarmed that photos taken of me in Finlay’s pub are being spread on social media by self-appointed vigilantes.
Sergeant O’Mahony said that there were “50 or 60 comments” on Facebook under the photo which claimed to be of Luckwill, and “they were very nasty indeed”.
He warned users to be more careful when they see these photos – and when they take them.
What I would say is people should think twice before putting these comments up on Facebook.
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