Woman with disability secures barring order against former partner who ‘won’t leave me alone’

Man allegedly prevented former partner from receiving care in her home, court hears

The Dublin District Family Court at Dolphin House in Dublin. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins
The Dublin District Family Court at Dolphin House in Dublin. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins

A woman with a disability has secured an interim barring order against her former partner after a court heard the man had allegedly prevented her from receiving care in her home.

The woman, who appeared before Dublin District Family Court on Thursday, said she and the man had been in a relationship for a number of years but that it had ended and he “won’t leave me alone”.

“I’ve asked him to leave [the home] and he won’t,” the woman said.

The court heard that the woman’s name was on the tenancy agreement of the property they were both living in, while the man’s name was not. The woman said she was afraid to be around the man and that he had made threatening comments that she would be “back in hospital” and “you watch” and “any day now”.

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The woman was accompanied by a family member, while the man was not present in court. She said the “fear and stress” due to the man living in her home had become “unbearable” and the court heard he had allegedly prevented her from receiving care she required previously.

“I don’t want to be alone in the house with him,” the woman told the court. The family member added: “We don’t leave her on her own when he’s in the house.”

Judge Brendan Toale granted the woman an interim barring order on an ex-parte (one side represented only) basis, which excludes the man from the property for eight days, and from watching or being near it. A full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, was set for a later date.

In a separate case, a woman told the court her former partner had threatened he would stab her and their child and burn down the accommodation they are currently living in.

In a sworn statement to the court, the woman, who was accompanied by a support worker from a domestic violence service, said she and the man had a young child together.

She said the man, who was not present in court, had called her one evening and said he would stab her and their child and that he would find where she was staying and burn down the accommodation.

The woman said she was afraid to be in town alone with their child and that the man had also threatened members of her family.

The judge granted the woman a protection order on an ex-parte basis against the man, which prohibits him from using or threatening to use violence.

A full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, was set for a later date.

In a separate case, a woman secured a protection order against her husband, who is due to be released from prison.

The woman told the court that when the man is not in custody he comes over to her house when he is intoxicated and “puts the door in”.

The woman said her husband would either kick the door in or bang on it for hours and that she felt afraid for herself and their children.

“Every time he gets out, he’s back doing the same stuff to me again,” the woman told the court.

The judge granted the woman a protection order on an ex-parte basis against the man and a full hearing was set for a later date.

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns is a reporter for The Irish Times