A SOUTH AFRICAN who ran in the 2009 local elections has welcomed a two-month prison sentence imposed on a man who racially abused him during canvassing.
Patrick Maphoso, who had unsuccessfully contested as an independent in north inner city Dublin, said Michael Walsh (61) had told him to get off his street and that black people made him “sick”.
The episode occurred outside Walsh’s home on Dublin’s North Circular Road on 28 April 2009.
During the same incident, Walsh’s neighbour Michael Lawlor (28) allegedly threatened that he would put a bullet through Maphoso’s head, but the case against him was struck out as he has since passed away.
Walsh was convicted earlier this month at Dublin District Court of being threatening, abusive and insulting towards Maphoso.
He had pleaded not guilty to the State’s allegations and said he had only told Maphoso to “f**k off” as he didn’t like politicians. However, the State Solicitor had pointed out that Walsh said in his statement: “I have no time for politicians and no time for coloured people.”
Judge John Coughlan imposed a two-month jail sentence on Walsh under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, which makes it an offence for any person in a public place to use or engage in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.
Conviction under the act carries a possible fine or maximum three-month prison term or both.
The judge had said he was confident the incident occurred in a “public place”.
Welcoming the two-month term imposed on Walsh, Maphoso told Metro Éireann the action sends “a very, very strong message to others out there.”
He said many Irish people had also welcomed the judge’s decision as they “don’t appreciate people like [Walsh]”.
However, Maphoso expressed general disappointment with organisations in Ireland representing immigrants, claiming they had failed to show interest in his case, with the exception of Sport Against Racism Ireland (Sari).
“I’m disappointed by the so-called organisations claiming to represent immigrants – there has been no support and no comment from them,” he said. “I am very disappointed by that.
“I don’t think they represent the needs of immigrants,” he added. “We need proper representation in Ireland; we can’t rely on NGOs to represent us.”
Maphoso – who is an outspoken activist on racism and immigrant issues – sparked controversy last year when he claimed that some immigrants serving on a Government-appointed integration council could be viewed as spies within the immigrant communities.
The body in question had not been disclosing members’ biographies.
