‘Menacing messages’ sent by Kilkenny hotel worker to his boss - local court told

A man who sent text messages warning his then-boss he would be ‘begging for mercy’ and was ‘a coward’ has been convicted of sending messages of a ‘grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.’

Kilkenny District Court heard that the conflict arose over a disagreement about working hours.
Youcef Chergui, Kilkenny Inn, Vicar Street, pleaded guilty to three counts contrary to Section 13 of the Post Office (Amendment) Act 1951.

One of the messages was sent in July 2024 and the other two in October 2024.

Sergeant Morgan O’Connor told the court that the defendant and another man had been working together at a Kilkenny City hotel when a conflict arose because Mr Chergui’s working hours were changed.

On July 9 Mr Chergui sent a message after the two men had met in passing, in town. It included the warning ‘if we meet each other in a different time, when I am without kids, you would be begging for mercy.’

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A message sent in October included a reference to the other man being Polish and how Germany had occupied the country ‘in just a few days’ because ‘you are cowards.’

Another text from Mr Chergui invited the other man to fight: ‘I’m outside. Let’s go.’ He also called him a ‘w****.’
Some of the texts included bad language.

Solicitor Alex Rafter said the men had been working together in a hotel kitchen. They had cultural differences, he said.

When the injured party in this case became head chef he reduced Mr Cerhgui’s hours, the solicitor said.

The first text was sent after the men had met on the street and there was a brushing of shoulders. His client did not deal with it well, Mr Rafter accepted.

Mr Chergui had been working full time as a kitchen porter until the new head chef arrived. Mr Chergui has since left that line of work and is employed in the construction industry.

Mr Rafter described it as a “bizarre case” where two people ‘didn’t hit it off’ and their relationship got ‘worse and worse.’
Mr Chergui, the solicitor said, is Algerian and has been living and working in Ireland for two years. He is deeply apologetic and pleaded guilty immediately in court.

Judge Geraldine Carthy convicted Mr Chergui on one count of sending a message by telephone which is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character. A fine of €250 was imposed.
The other two charges were taken into consideration.