Courts

Man jailed for six years for imprisoning partner and beating her over number of days

31-year-old man, who cannot be named, beat partner unconscious and put rope around her neck

The man pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm and one count of false imprisonment. Photograph: Dave Meehan
The man pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm and one count of false imprisonment. Photograph: Dave Meehan
Niamh O'Donoghue
Wed Jul 17 2024 - 18:58

A man has been jailed for six years for beating his partner and falsely imprisoning her over the course of a number of days.

The 31-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at a sentencing hearing in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on Wednesday.

He had pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm and one count of false imprisonment of the woman on dates between February 18th and 21st, 2021. The man had been facing more serious charges but the State later dropped them.

Mr Justice David Keane handed down a 7½ year sentence but suspended the final 18 months, backdating it to July 19th, 2022 for time spent in custody.

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Justice Keane said aggravating factors included the extended nature of the events, in which the victim spent two days and three nights as a prisoner where she was continually subjected to violence and that he was in a close relationship with her.

In mitigation, the judge said he had careful regard to the probation report and also took account of the plea of guilty.

The judge directed the man to engage with the Men Overcoming Violent Emotion (Move) programme and to disclose any new relationships to his probation officer.

A local garda previously told the court the accused has four children with the complainant.

The accused entered the house and when the woman’s cousin left, he took the woman’s keys and her phone. She tried to calm him down and told him she was not with another man, which he had been concerned about.

She tried to scream out of a window and he knew she was getting too loud, the court heard. He shut the door, got on top of her and got a stick – a baton from a cot – and beat her with it. He also beat her with a glass bottle and “there was blood everywhere”, the court heard. She said she thought she fell asleep but she had actually been knocked out, the court was told.

She woke up with a rope around her neck and said she started crying and asked him to leave. The court heard on the 19th, he got on top of her and started beating her on the top of the head. He beat her all day Saturday and she woke up on Sunday.

The court heard he had 37 previous convictions, including 18 for public order offences.

The court was told that the complainant did not make a victim impact statement. The prosecution said an aggravating factor was that the pair were in a relationship.

In mitigation Ms Roisin Lacey SC, defending, told the court there was an incredibly comprehensive probation report before the court.

She said her client had 10 siblings and started drinking after the tragic death of his sister. He has engaged in alcohol treatment over the years.

The probation officer had noted an “upbringing that was marked with family feuding” and limited education with no formal exams taken, although the accused had attended Youthreach.

The report stated that there were mental health issues in his background and that the accused was taking antidepressants and was on Disability Allowance for many years.

Ms Lacey said he was using his time very well in custody and he has denied any current alcohol use.