Man tried to murder wife with kettlebell

A 44-year-old Algerian man who attempted to murder his wife by bludgeoning her in the head with a kettlebell is to be sentenced later.

Lounes Ouachek of St Dominic’s Terrace, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the attempted murder of Ruta Ouachek, 35, at that address on August 23, 2012.

The court heard that after he tried to kill his wife, Ouachek left the house, pulled the blinds, drove her car to Dublin airport and flew to Tunisia without telling anyone that she was injured.

Ms Ouachek, who is originally from Lithuania, was later found lying unconscious on the bathroom floor of her home.

Tom O’ Connell SC prosecuting told the court that she was initially taken to Tallaght Hospital where she had a complex fracture to the base of her skull and was later transferred to Beaumont Hospital.

The couple arrived in Ireland in 2005, had a daughter in 2007 and married in 2011. By May 2012 the couple had separated and Ms Ouachek said she wanted a divorce.

Ouachek left Ireland in July 2012 and after his return in August the court heard he was to some extent stalking his wife and called to a number of childcare facilities to find out where his daughter was.

Superintendent Peter Duff told Mr O’Connell that Ms Ouachek obtained a barring order on August 21 that year.

Ms Ouachek had some of her husband’s possessions stored in the boot of her car and her husband asked her where his metal kettlebell was, which was used for weight lifting.

She handed it to him and she said her next memory was being on the kitchen floor on her back with her husband sitting on top of her, hitting her on both sides of the head with the kettlebell.

Ms Ouachek said she believed he was going to kill her, was screaming for help and “the more I shouted the more he hit me”.

Ouachek was arrested in Germany in February 19, 2013 and was extradited back to Ireland the following month.

When charged Ouachek told gardaí “I didn’t mean to do that, it was an accident.”

A letter was handed into court saying that Ouachek, had instructed his solicitor to hand over €12,000 to his wife.

Supt Duff agreed that Ms Ouachek has some scarring and damage to her head and dribbles out of the left side of her mouth.

Mr Justice Paul Carney further remanded Ouachek in custody and adjourned sentencing until Monday next.