Man hurled abuse at ex-wife on court steps

A woman who had been married for 37 years spoke yesterday of her terror when her ex-husband ran after her shouting abuse on the steps of Cork Circuit Court.

The disputed incident was the subject matter of a case at Cork District Court yesterday where James Meade, aged 59, of Sunfield House, Fountainstown, Co Cork, was prosecuted on a charge of breaching a safety order by putting Catherine Meade in fear on May 23, 2012, following a court case.

“He ran after me in a fierce temper and rage and he called me the C-word. I was actually terrified. I have a five-year safety order from that man. You would think a person could not come running after you shouting and roaring all because he did not like what was said in court,” Ms Meade testified.

She referred to the accused as her ex-husband.

Virgil Horgan, solicitor for the accused, said the defendant was arguing with his then solicitor and barrister and that the sensible thing for Ms Meade to have done would have been to leave straightaway rather than waiting for 20 minutes.

Ms Meade said she knew nothing of that.

James Meade said he did not see or verbally abuse Ms Meade after the case.

When it was put to him by Insp John Deasy that he was angry at the judge, he said the judge had been very fair and a male garda was also nice to him.

Judge Kelleher said: “You prefer the man judges and the man guards.”

Judge Kelleher said he accepted Ms Meade’s version of events and he found the facts proved against the defendant.