Prosecutions under Ireland’s Coco’s Law, legislation designed to combat the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, rose by 41.5 percent in 2025, with 75 cases taken by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), according to figures released this week by Minister for Justice, Migration and Home Affairs, Jim O’Callaghan.
The increase marks a significant jump from the 53 cases prosecuted in 2024. Since the law – formally known as the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 – came into effect in February 2021, a total of 240 prosecutions have been initiated. Twelve further cases have been taken in the opening weeks of 2026, continuing the upward trend.
The ODPP figures reveal a stark progression in enforcement. In 2023, 43 cases were prosecuted, almost half the number seen in 2025. Earlier years saw significantly lower numbers, with just eight cases in 2021 and nine in 2022. Convictions under Coco’s Law can result in prison sentences of up to three years when pursued in the circuit court.
The rise in prosecutions comes as concerns grow regarding the apply of artificial intelligence to create and disseminate abusive imagery. Last month, Taoiseach Micheál Martin indicated that Coco’s Law may require strengthening to address this emerging threat. Minister O’Callaghan, in a written response to a parliamentary question from Cork North Central TD, Padraig O’Sullivan, reiterated that prosecutions fall under the independent remit of the ODPP.
One recent case highlighted the scope of the legislation. A 20-year-vintage man from County Clare has been returned for trial at Ennis Circuit Court, accused of posting a collage of intimate images of a 15-year-old girl on Snapchat in November 2022. He faces three charges related to the alleged posting.
Coco’s Law not only criminalizes the sharing of intimate images without consent but also targets the distribution of threatening or grossly offensive communications intended to cause harm. A departmental review published in 2024 found positive early indicators in terms of prosecutions taken, reports of intimate image abuse to a dedicated hotline, and increased public awareness of the legislation. The review, however, did not include detailed prosecution data beyond the end of 2023, leaving the ODPP to independently manage and report on ongoing cases.
