'He had to have the control': Kathleen Funchion speaks out after ex-partner jailed under Coco's Law

MEP KATHLEEN FUNCHION has described her “issues with trust” following her former partner being found guilty under Coco’s Law yesterday. 

Funchion’s former partner Sean Tyrell was jailed yesterday under Section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, also known as “Coco’s Law”.

The Examiner reported that Funchion had given the court details of Tyrell’s actions that had inflicted considerable distress upon the Sinn Féin politician.

The two began a relationship in 2016.

Tyrell had made multiple false allegations that Funchion had been unfaithful during their “dysfunctional” relationship, which had lasted on and off for around five to six years, the court heard. 

After they had completely separated, Tyrell threatened to reach out to the partners of Funchion’s close friends and claim that they had been unfaithful.

He was sentenced yesterday to four months in prison, with a separate four-month jail term suspended for two years.

Speaking to The KCLR Daily with Brian Redmond this afternoon, Funchion described how her relationship with Tyrell began and her experience in Kilkenny Circuit Court yesterday.

“Control was a very serious issue, and right up until the end of the relationship, he had to have the control of the situation,” she said.

“And I think that’s something that can happen very subtly. People don’t see it happen. You don’t wake up one day and realise that you’re potentially in a controlling situation.

“It happens over time, and it kind of happens in a way that makes you doubt yourself and makes you wonder, Am I seeing this correctly? Am I picking this up correctly? It really makes you feel like you’re actually going a bit crazy. And I think that that can be some of the reason that people don’t see the situation that they’re in.”

Funchion described her experience as “isolating” and said that she was lucky to have had support from her friends and family, as well as local supports.

Need help? Support is available:

• The 24/7 National Freephone Helpline for Women’s Aid is 1800 341 900. There is an online chat service on womensaid.ie operating mornings and evenings and a text service for people who are deaf and hard of hearing on 087 959 7980
• Men’s Aid: 01 554 3811
• Safe Ireland offers a list of 38 domestic abuse services in towns across Ireland.
  
• Dublin Rape Crisis Centre: 1800 778 888
• Cork Sexual Violence Centre: 1800 496 496
• Male Domestic Abuse: 1800 816 588
• Always Here government support
• For urgent assistance, call An Garda Síochána on 999 or 112