A 39-year-old woman has been issued with a restraining order after being found guilty of harassing well-known film maker Sean Murray.
Grainne O'Reilly from Sandhurst Gardens in south Belfast was found guilty of posting dozens of malicious online messages aimed at damaging the west Belfast man's reputation.
Ms O'Reilly spent seven months between February and August 2017 posting false allegations about Mr Murray who Belfast Magistrate's Court was told yesterday is a documentary maker.
Despite having admitted in police interview to posting the messages Ms O'Reilly pleaded not guilty to a charge of a harassment and a second charge of misuse of electronic communications in a menacing manner.
Mr Murray told the court the harassment had caused him "unimaginable stress and anguish".
A current PhD student at Queen's University, Mr Murray told the court: "She had tagged in my colleagues at Queen's, lecturers, ITV and BBC who I would work with, it was just an attempt to slur me, to ruin me," he said.
"I felt everyone knew about the posts. It has been an ordeal, it has been emotionally stressful," he added.
The court was told that in police interview when the allegations were put to Ms O'Reilly she did not deny posting the messages but said "the sins of the father are redeemed by the son".
District Judge Amanda Brady said; "I accept the prosecution case" adding that it would have been known the messages would cause "fear or distress".
Ms O'Reilly shouted out "You are evil" as the guilty verdict was read out.
The judge ordered that a restraining order be put in place immediately with further sentencing due on November 9.
