Man breached barring order against ex-wife by demanding she return ring

A 54-year-old man under court order to stay away from his ex-wife went to the canteen at her workplace and demanded she return her wedding ring to him.

Andrzej Kata, of St Vincent’s hostel, Anglesea Terrace, Cork, appeared at Cork District Court yesterday accused of breaching a barring order. Through a Polish interpreter he pleaded guilty to the crime.

Inspector Bill Duane said: “The facts are that on March 24 the accused went to the workplace of his estranged wife. He approached his wife in the canteen and demanded the return of her wedding ring. There was a barring order in force.”

Insp Duane said that in January at Fermoy District Court, Kata was convicted for similar types of offences.

He had three breaches of the barring order taken into consideration as a one-year jail sentence was suspended on a charge of causing criminal damage. That term was suspended on condition he keep the peace for two years.

The incident over the ring occurred two months later so that could lead to the revocation of the suspension of the one-year term from Fermoy District Court. The case will be dealt with in that court before he is sentenced for the latest breach.

The full background to the offence from the defence point of view can be outlined in Cork District Court after the Fermoy hearing.