An alleged Twitter troll used a series of fake accounts to bombard 98FM presenter Jeremy Dixon with threats and online abuse, a court has heard.

Geraldine Delahunty (41), of Convent Lawns, Ballyfermot, is alleged to have become infatuated with the broadcaster.

She faces a single count of alleged harassment of Dublin Talks co-host Jeremy Dixon from August 4, 2014 until January 16 last year.

Judge Michael Walsh, at Dublin District Court, held that the case was too serious to be dealt with in the district court, meaning Ms Delahunty will face trial in the circuit court.

Gda Sgt Gail Smith told Judge Walsh it was alleged that Mr Dixon was harassed via Twitter. It started with comments, some of which were “quite upsetting”, including one message that he would be killed.

It was alleged that a number of false statements were made such as untrue claims that the broadcaster abused his wife and took drugs. The tweets could be seen by Mr Dixon’s 15,000 Twitter followers.

Sgt Smith said the broadcaster tried to block the poster, but “the defendant created account after account after account, some in the injured party’s name and his wife’s name”.

Affair

It affected his work because a company he did business with had been contacted to untruthfully tell them not to employ him because he takes drugs.

His wife was also afraid, and had also received an untrue message saying Mr Dixon was having an affair.

He said it placed a great strain on their lives and his wife Sue told the court it had made her nervous and that when she was at home alone she had to keep all the doors locked.

Ms Delahunty was remanded on continuing bail to appear again in March.

Herald