Told to stay away from his former partner or face jail

A man who repeatedly ignored a court-sanctioned barring order, breaching it 47 times in a matter of weeks following the breakdown of a relationship, has narrowly avoided an immediate prison sentence.

The man, aged in his 30s and now living in Northern Ireland, was handed a nine-month prison sentence by Judge Patricia Cronin at Cavan District Court. However, the sentence was suspended for two years, with the judge warning that his future freedom depends on strict compliance with court orders.

The court heard that the defendant first breached the barring order just days after it was granted in April 2025.

What followed was a sustained pattern of offending. He breached the order once on the initial date the order was granted, then 31 times on a single day later that month.

He went on to breach it twice on one day at the beginning of May, three times the following day, once the day after that, twice again on the next day, and on six further occasions over the following weeks.

A probation report prepared by authorities in Northern Ireland was furnished to the court. While noting there had been no further incidents since the offences occurred, the report concluded that the defendant “lacks insight” into his behaviour and presents a potential “immediate” risk of reoffending.

The court also heard that the man brought €1,000 in compensation to court for criminal damage caused days before the barring order was granted.

That compensation covered €300 worth of damage to the woman’s front living room window and €700 worth of damage to her car.

Defence solicitor Damien Rudden said his client, an agri-contractor by trade, had entered guilty pleas at an “early stage” and had only one previous conviction, a no-insurance driving offence dating from 2026.

Mr Rudden told the court that the offending arose in the aftermath of a relationship breakdown and that alcohol had played a significant role in his client’s behaviour at the time.

The court heard that a child inside the house when the criminal damage occurred was “frightened” by the incident.

Since then, the defendant has had no contact with either his former partner or their child.

Judge Cronin said the sheer “frequency” of the offending represented a significant aggravating factor.

The barring order remains in force for a further two years.

Imposing a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, the judge took all remaining matters into account.

“He is getting an opportunity,” Judge Cronin said. “But he has to comply.”