A man who headbutted his ex-girlfriend as he could not accept the end of their relationship has been given a suspended sentence at Letterkenny District Court.
Kieran Callaghan (34) also poured drinks over Martine Mulhern and harassed her in a series of threatening text messages.
Callaghan, of Garrison Hill in Killygordon, approached Ms Mulhern on two occasions on July 2nd, 2017 in the Warehouse Bar in Letterkenny and poured drinks over her head, the court heard.
He approached Ms Mulhern in Voodoo Nightclub in Letterkenny on July 17th, 2017 and headbutted her, leaving her with facial swelling and bruising.
Garda Insp Barry Doyle said some of the text messages that Callaghan admitted sending Ms Mulhern stated that ‘I hope you die a painful one’, ‘You are a pathetic lowlife scumbag I never loved you’ and ‘I hope you fall off a cliff’.
The court was told that Callaghan had previously appeared in court for breaking a window in Ms Mulhern’s home.
Sincere
Frank Dorrian, solicitor for Callaghan, said his client had tendered a sincere apology and was distraught after he and Ms Mulhern split up.
Judge Paul Kelly described Ms Mulhern’s victim impact statement, which set out the impact that the attacks had on her life, as “powerful”.
The cost of having her glasses replaced, counselling and other treatment came to some €1,200 and Judge Kelly granted an order of €1,170 against Callaghan to be paid to Ms Mulhern.
The court heard there was a loss of earnings for Ms Mulhern’s time out of work, which amounted to €29,498. Judge Kelly told Ms Mulhern the maximum the district court could award in compensation was €15,000 and suggested that she take a civil case against Callaghan.
He sentenced Callaghan to four months in prison for assaulting Ms Mulhern with a headbutt but suspended the sentence for two years. He sentenced him to four months for harassing Ms Mulhern with text messages but also suspended that for two years. He fined Callaghan €250 for pouring drinks over Ms Mulhern.
The judge also ordered Callaghan to attend a 12-month course on overcoming emotional violence and to refrain from drinking alcohol.