Man tried to strangle former partner

A MAN, who allegedly tried to strangle his former partner during an incident in which he returned to her home two years ago, had an arrest warrant issued for sentencing after he was convicted in his absence at a recent sitting of Monaghan District Court.

Judge Raymond Finnegan was told that the man, who is in his early 40s but cannot be named for legal reasons, called to the house, which is in a rural part of Co Monaghan, while in an intoxicated state in January 2024.

He was facing two charges, one in relation to assault causing harm and the other in respect of assault causing harm by way of strangulation, as outlined as a specific offence under Section 3A of the revised Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

The injured party told the court she was in a relationship with the man for 13 years. She had refused to let him in when he called on the previous day, and when he came back that evening she had been preparing food for her children, some of whom were outside.

The man was intoxicated and started “messing” with the food, which she asked him to stop doing. She then took a younger child from him, and while she was doing this he hit her a box on the side of the face, causing her teeth to chip against the back of the child’s head, the woman stated.

‘Squeezed until I couldn’t breathe’

She told the man to leave and thought he was going out the door, but then he turned back at her. “He put his hand round my throat and squeezed until I couldn’t breathe,” she stated.

After that, the woman passed out and didn’t remember what happened until she came to again with her children standing over her.

Further evidence was given by two of the older children, including an adult daughter who recalled how she managed, after a struggle, to get the defendant’s hands from around her mother’s throat. The daughter in her evidence stated that the man had his two hands on her mother’s neck and had her up against the wall with such force that her face had turned blue and his own hands were purple.

The woman herself confirmed to Inspector Michael O’Donoghue, prosecuting, that she didn’t initially report the matter or seek medical attention, as she was afraid of what might happen if she did, and was also worried about the children if she had to go into hospital.

She also alleged that text messages were sent to her by the defendant following the incident, including one that night in which, she said, he threatened to kill her.

The injured party and the other witnesses were cross-examined by Joe Smith BL, who asked, among other things, if they were sure they had actually seen, rather than just heard, the initial incident in which his client was alleged to have punched her in the face.

The investigating garda confirmed in her evidence to Judge Finnegan that it wasn’t until June 2024 that the woman had reported the matter. The judge was also told that the defendant was initially arrested and questioned about the matter in September 2024.

It was accepted by Mr Smith that there wasn’t much he could say in support of his client, given that he had not turned up to court.

Judge Finnegan convicted the defendant on both counts and issued a bench warrant for the defendant’s arrest for sentencing. In doing so he told the injured party that gardaí would be in touch with her to obtain a victim impact statement.

The judge also commended the daughter for the actions she had taken during the incident.