A woman who took part in a “crime of passion” in which her friend broke into the home of her former partner’s new lover has been given a suspended sentence.
Elaine Emmett accompanied her friend to the house of her friend’s ex’s new girlfriend and stood by as the other woman smashed the door in with a golf club before dragging the victim around by the hair and smashing up her oven.
The man in question remained in an upstairs bedroom throughout the incident, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Tuesday.
Emmett (39) with an address in Glenann Road, Whitehall, Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to enter a building as a trespasser with intent to cause criminal damage at Finn Eber Court, Finglas on May 22nd, 2021. Her co-accused is awaiting sentence for her role in the incident.
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Garrett Baker BL, prosecuting, told Judge Martin Nolan that this was a “crime of passion”.
The court heard that at 11.30am the victim in the case was at home with her partner. She heard shouting and smashing and, when she looked downstairs, saw the man’s ex-partner smashing the door window in.
The woman shouted: “Get him out to me. You’re dead, watch”, before she let herself in the door, followed by Emmett.
The woman swung the golf club around and smashed the oven with it. She dragged the victim around by the hair before she managed to escape the house and alert a neighbour. Gardaí arrived shortly afterwards.
The victim was punched in the eye during the attack. There was no victim impact statement before the court.
Emmett has four previous convictions including threatening and abusive behaviour and production of an article.
Anne Rowland SC, defending, said Emmett thought it would be better if she went along with her friend. The court heard she is normally “very quiet”, prompting Judge Nolan to comment: “She obviously has her moments”.
Sentencing Emmett, Judge Nolan said she should never have entered the house. He noted she was a “passive participant” in the incident and he handed down an 18 month sentence which he suspended in full.