Man to be sentenced for coercive control over his wife

THE wife of a man who subjected her to years of physical abuse and coercive control once ran to a garda station barefoot with her pyjamas saturated in her own blood after he attacked her, Monaghan Circuit Court has heard.

Martin Ward (27), with an address at The Elms, Lough na Glack, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, is to be sentenced on January 29 after he pleaded guilty to the coercive control of his wife Chantelle. He has also pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery.

A sitting of Monaghan Circuit Court on Thursday, January 15, heard how Mr Ward carried out a litany of attacks on his wife, including once leaving her with a black eye, slapping her in the face as she slept on another occasion, and, kicking her in the stomach when she was pregnant with one of their children.

The court also heard how the defendant would take his wife’s mobile phone off her to isolate her from her family and friends.

Frank Martin, BL, for the prosecution, outlined to the court how these offences occurred between the years 2019 and 2022.

In his evidence to the court, Sergeant Anthony Flynn, who is now retired, revealed how in the early hours of the morning on May 31, 2021, Chantelle Ward arrived at Carrickmacross Garda Station in a very distressed state.

He said Ms Ward had a laceration to her head, after she had been attacked with a weapon by her husband, and had run to the station barefoot.

The court heard that Ms Ward was in her pyjamas, which were “saturated” in blood.

“She was barely able to talk she was so distressed, Sgt Flynn told the court.

He said gardaí then called out to her home.

When Martin Ward didn’t let them into the house, Sgt Flynn said they forced their way into the home by kicking in the door.

When gardaí shouted at Ward to come downstairs, he shouted back that he would “put holes in us”.

“We took this to mean he had a firearm,” Sgt Flynn said.

“So we backed off and called for the support of an armed unit,” he added.

Sgt Flynn said that the Regional Support Unit subsequently arrived at the scene and pepper sprayed Ward before arresting him.

Ward later told gardaí that he had downed 10 to 11 cans of Guinness on that night and had no recollection of assaulting his wife.

The court heard that Chantelle Ward later left her husband and has never returned to him.

Attempted robbery

The court also heard about an incident of attempted robbery by Martin Ward on May 7, 2022.

On that occasion, both he and his wife, who had been drinking earlier that day at a confirmation party, got into a man’s car uninvited.

The court heard that Martin Ward ordered the man to drive to a service station and that Ward then got out of the car and entered a shop.

Ward stayed in the shop for up to 20 minutes, while his wife Chantelle remained in the back seat of the man’s car.

When Ward eventually returned to the car, he demanded that the man, who said he felt intimidated, drive them to the bus station in Carrickmacross so they could get a bus to Dublin.

The court heard that Ward started demanding €50 from the man, who became increasingly concerned that he was going to be robbed.

When he got to the bus station, the man ran to another car, telling the driver: “That man’s going to rob me.”

The man then got into this other car and was driven to Carrickmacross Garda Station to report the incident.

Fiona Murphy, BL, for the defence, instructed by solicitor Rory O’Brien, outlined to the court how Ward had struggled in school due to suffering from dyslexia and cognitive issues.

She said he also struggled to find work due to his lack of literacy and that he turned to drink to make his situation feel better.

Ms Murphy said that Ward, who married Chanetlle when she was 19 and he had just turned 20, had serious alcohol issues that were exacerbated when he took drugs.

In mitigation she said the fact that Ward had pleaded guilty meant that Chantelle Ward, now lives in Co Donegal, did not have to come to court to give evidence.

Victim impact

Instead a victim impact statement on behalf of Chantelle Ward was read out to the court.

In that statement she said she still suffered bad dreams about the abuse she had endured at the hands of her husband, even though it had been over two years since she last saw him.

“I never want to see Martin Ward again for the rest of my life,” her statement said.

“Leaving him was the best decision I ever made.”

However Ms Ward said she still gets nervous when walking the streets in case she sees him, but that she is happier and healthier since she left him.

Meanwhile, the court heard that Ward has been in prison awaiting sentencing on these charges since August 2025.

Ms Murphy told the court that he has been engaging in educational activities while in prison, is tackling his addiction issues, and is determined to become a productive member of society when he is released.

Judge John Aylmer said he needed time to consider matters, and adjourned sentencing until January 29.