Garda allegedly did not follow up on complaints

A Dublin garda is being investigated for not following up on complaints made by a woman who was allegedly raped, assaulted, and threatened by her husband, a court has heard.

The alleged victim has told a Central Criminal Court jury that her husband raped her in May 2014 after refusing to accept their marriage was over. He previously told her “I can rape you if I want” and threatened to cut her face open with a knife, the woman alleged.

The court also heard allegations that on June 8 and 9, 2014, the man threatened and harassed the woman and crashed into the back of her car causing her to make a complaint to gardaí.

Yesterday, the woman said she was unhappy with how her complaint was handled. She said she made her unhappiness known to gardaí from a different station who took over the investigation in August 2014 after the accused assaulted her with a hammer.

“I didn’t think she had followed things up, I didn’t think she had taken things seriously,” the woman said, referring to the garda who took her complaint in June.

The accused has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape, assault causing harm, and five counts of threats to kill or cause serious harm between May 24 and August 1, 2014. The jury heard he has already pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife with a hammer in August 2014.

Defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC asked the woman why she did not leave her husband sooner.

The woman said it was hard to admit that she did not leave sooner and that she regretted it. Counsel asked her why it was hard to admit.

“Because I see myself as a strong person,” she replied. “I do think could I have prevented things from happening if I’d left sooner. I find it hard to admit it to myself.”

Mr Dwyer said if the accused was such a “monster” she would not have left their young child in the house with him after the alleged rape while she went to court to get a barring order.

“I wish I hadn’t done it,” she replied. “Yea, it is hard to live with that I left [the child] with him that day.” The woman agreed with counsel that her husband was made homeless after she obtained a barring order against him but said it was “because of what he did.”

The trial also heard from the woman’s parents who said the accused phoned their house the day after the alleged rape while their daughter was there. Her mother said he heard the accused “ranting and raving” down the phone . Her father said he heard the accused say, “you’re dead, you’re dead” down the phone.

The trial continues.