Judge condemns Facebook post on abuse

A judge said that it was nothing short of reprehensible that a 22-year-old woman posted on Facebook details of a physical assault she suffered at the hands of her father.

At the family court in Ennis, Co Clare, Judge Patrick Durcan said it was accepted the woman was physically abused by her father when she was 13. “But to post that information on Facebook was the most appalling and improper behaviour,” he said.

The judge described the woman’s actions in posting on Facebook as “nothing short of reprehensible”.

“This case points to the abuse that social media can be put to.” However, the judge also said “the man has no understanding of his obligations to his family”.

Judge Durcan said: “This is one of the saddest cases I ever have had the duty to listen to. It is extremely sad to see a family so fractured, so damaged and so embittered.”

In the case, the father was seeking the protection of the courts from his daughter where he was applying for a safety order against her.

Solicitor Ann Walsh, for the applicant, said the safety order was triggered by the Facebook post. The Co Clare man contacted local gardaí after he was made aware of the Facebook posting.

Gardaí made contact with the woman but the post had been deleted. The man told the court: “I want a public apology from her put up on Facebook for what she did.”

However, Judge Durcan refused the application stating it had not reached the threshold of evidence required. In comments directed at the father, the judge said: “In his evidence, this man did not impress me. I am satisfied he has been abusive of his daughter; has been abusive of his family and I am satisfied that the man has no understanding of his obligations to his family and his lack of comprehension is in great measure responsible for the circumstances which exist.”

The woman said the Facebook post was “a cry for help”. She said her mother never believed her or she didn’t want to believe her concerning an incident when she was 13 when her father physically abused her by grabbing her by the throat.

“We were in our kitchen a few Sundays ago where he admitted to trying to strangle me at home. I posted on Facebook because I just wanted his family to know.

“I didn’t name him but I said on Facebook, ‘what kind of father strangles his own daughter and after all of these years is after admitting it?’ I wanted one of his family to intervene and stop the abuse that is going on in my house. All I am asking is for someone to help me,” she said.

In reply, solicitor Ms Walsh said: “There has been no abuse. There was one incident when you were 13 when my client admits that he caught you by the throat.”

Under cross examination, the man admitted to recently leaving his wife and the family home after having an affair with another woman.

The man also said his daughter threatened him with a knife. The claim was denied. He admitted catching her by the throat when she was 13 “after she called me ‘an alcoholic bastard and that I need to go away and get treatment for yourself’ and I was on my on way to treatment at the time”.