A MUM whose daughter died by suicide after being harassed online for years has vowed to keep fighting until politicians bring in a law to “lock up” bullies.

Jackie Fox told how her girl Nicole, 21, of Clondalkin, Dublin, received vile cyber taunts before taking her own life in January.

She said: “Coco was bullied physically, verbally but also mentally online.

“These so-called friends threatened to put Nicole on a life-support machine after they beat her up.

“There was also vicious things said on the likes of WhatsApp, Snapchat et cetera, where they tore her apart.

“She had said to me a number of times that she didn’t want to be here anymore. And the only reason she was staying is she didn’t want to leave me heartbroken.”

Gardai told Jackie there was nothing they could do as the abuse fell into a “grey area”, due to outmoded legislation.

This led her to take her fight into the AV Room of Leinster House in May where TDs and senators listened intently and agreed to work together to enact Coco’s Law — named after her daughter.

Jackie’s mooted new Bill or Amendment would see an update to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act so it takes account of abuse via social media sites such as Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp.

And she says “shame on you” to those politicians who promised to act but have so far done nothing of note.

Jackie says she’ll ‘fight on until legislation is in place’

Now Jackie has revealed some of the bullies have now turned their anger on her, while others have claimed they were innocent and were in fact willing to help victims.

The mum spoke yesterday at a press conference along with two other Dublin mums, Geraldine Swift and Sarah Mannion Butler, whose sons were also tormented online, along with People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny.

Nicole took an overdose in May 2015 and was sent for treatment to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, or CAMHS.

Jackie recalled: “After another three years of torment and torture, it got worse, which led Nicole to go deeper and deeper into herself.

“Which also led her to self-harm. She spent a lot of time in her room crying.

“Then on January 18 this year she attempted to take her own life again. This time she succeeded.

“After two days in intensive care, my baby girl passed away at the young age of 21.”

Jackie was then taken aback to learn that there would be no punishment for the abusers.

She said: “To my horror I learned  . . . it was not an offence to tell someone to self-harm, die, go kill yourself, slit your wrists.

“It was a grey area so no one could be charged until it was amended and updated.”

After speaking out in April, Jackie then made her presentation in Leinster House — and believed Oireachtas members were about to take action and strengthen laws to punish the online abusers.

She said: “At the end of the presentation, one of the TDs stood up and said, ‘Instead of working in separate parties, can we all join as one and bring in Coco’s Law?’

“This amendment would save a lot of heartache for victims and a lot of devastation for families.”

“They all nodded their head in agreement.

“But if you were touched by Nicole’s story in any way, shame on you for not acting on the issue as you all agreed to do so that day.

“There are a lot of kids, teens and adults who felt the way Nicole did and are still here but don’t want to be and are living a life of self-harm.

“Action needs to be taken now. Not next year or the year after.

“The Government have to stand up and realise that this is a huge problem, it needs to start putting pen to paper.

“Bullies are getting younger and so are their victims. There is an act out there but it is so outdated — back then there was no Facebook, Snapchat, Whatsapp, Instagram etc.

“I am looking to have it amended in honour of Coco.

“This amendment would save a lot of heartache for victims and a lot of devastation for families.

“These bullies have to be made accountable for their actions. Nicole did not take her own life.

“They took it from her. Coco’s Law needs to happen now.

“How many more young people need to die before the Government finally acts on this?

“I will do whatever it takes to bring in Coco’s Law and am not going to stop until it is complete.

“I know I will never get Nicole back, but if I can help someone else not go through this that’s a huge step. For me it’s too late.”

“If it was my choice, I would lock them up and throw away the key forever. That’s not going to happen.

“But it is up to the Government to put legislation together to make someone accountable.

“You will never stop bullying completely online but you will deter a lot of people when they find you can actually be charged.

“Most will back off.

“They have to be made accountable for what Nicole went through and everyone else.

“Right at this moment they know it is not an offence so they can get away with it.

Since Coco’s death, some of the bullies have even targeted brave Jackie too, while others have feigned innocence.

She said: “I have had a few of the bullies contact me in a nasty way and in a threatening way.

“But it is okay for them to do that because it is online so it is not an offence there.

“I’ve had a lot of them denying it. Some are saying, ‘No, we didn’t do that, it wasn’t me. Ring me if anyone feels suicidal, I am always there for you . . . ’

“And they are the ones that did it. I just can’t believe the way they are acting.

“If people only knew the real me where I go home and I cry every night for Nicole.

“It feels like a lifetime since I have seen her face.

“I know I will never get Nicole back, but if I can help someone else not go through this that’s a huge step. For me it’s too late.”

PBP’s Deputy Kenny has called for a tax to be placed on social media sites so as to raise funds for the provision of child and adolescent mental health services.

However, he did not endorse Jackie’s call for stiffer punishment.

Mr Kenny said: “Criminalising young people . . . is that the answer?

“I am not so sure. I am not won over by the idea.”

But he added: “Legislation alone is not going to solve bullying, it’s a societal problem.

“There is a major onus on social media firms that provide the platforms to be engaged with and make a contribution to an anti-bullying programme.

“The social media companies need to wake up to the reality of what is going on under their watch and face up to the fact that it is their responsibility to prevent this bullying from happening.”