Convicted Rapist Threatened to Kill Three Female Journalists

March 07, 2025 – Ireland – 

Mark McAnaw, a 52-year-old man previously residing in Letterkenny, County Donegal, has pleaded guilty to the harassment of three female journalists from the Sunday World. The incidents occurred in August 2023, with McAnaw sending threatening emails and messages to Nicola Tallant, Amanda Brunker, and Deirdre Reynolds. The content of these communications escalated from inappropriate propositions to explicit threats of violence, including a warning to one journalist that failing to meet him would result in a “life-threatening mistake”.

McAnaw’s criminal history is extensive. In 2012, he was convicted of the rape and sexual assault of a foreign student in Donegal, for which he received a nine-year prison sentence. Additionally, he has convictions dating back to 1989 for kidnapping and assaults causing actual bodily harm in 2011. In 2018, he attacked a woman in her home while armed with a large kitchen knife, leading to an eight-year and four-month sentence, with the final 16 months suspended for 16 years.

Following his arrest for the harassment of the journalists, McAnaw offered apologies to the victims but also made disturbing statements about his intentions. At the time of the offenses, he was not taking his prescribed medication, and he is currently detained in the Central Mental Hospital.

The case has raised significant concerns about the safety of journalists and the potential for retaliation against media professionals. The sentencing is scheduled for June 5, 2025, to allow for the preparation of a probation report and an up-to-date psychiatric evaluation.