Jail for man who blackmailed ex-FF Councillor
A Dublin man who blackmailed a former Fianna Fáil councillor using photos of him allegedly taking cocaine has been jailed for 18 months.
Wesley Higgins of Dundaniel Road, Kilmore, Coolock attempted to extort €5,000 from Liam Kelly by threatening to give pictures from a party to a newspaper in August 2006.
Mr Higgins sent the party photos to the newspaper having failed to blackmail Mr Kelly.
The 33-year-old courier pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and today was jailed for 18 months for the crime which Judge Des Hogan described as premeditated, conniving and sly.
He said Mr Higgins had preyed on a public representative who was vulnerable in his personal life.
Mr Kelly said that he cannot remember parts of the party that night because he suffers blackouts due to his alcoholism.
Much of the former Councillor's anger was directed at Fianna Fáil HQ, who he said betrayed him by conducting a discriminatory inquiry against him.
