Man claims ‘black magic’ in domestic abuse case

A man accused of raping, head-butting, and threatening his wife when he could not accept their marriage was over told gardaí someone had used “black magic” on their relationship.

The 42-year-old said he had been “cursed” in his native country by someone who wanted the relationship to end so he could marry their daughter.

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 a count of assaulting his wife with a hammer in August 2014.

During Garda interviews, he denied raping or threatening his wife. He said he shoved her on one occasion but denied head-butting her and telling her he would kill her. He has admitted attacking the woman with a hammer outside her parents’ home on a later date.

Over the course of six interviews in August 2014, he told gardaí they “had the best life ever” until the birth of their child.

He said after the birth his wife was appointed to a senior position in work and would neglect him and the house when she got home and direct all her attention to their son.

He said he supported his wife through her pregnancy and never asked her to cover her hair despite his religious beliefs. He alleged she had lied to a Family Court hearing which granted her a barring order against him.

“She’s like a snake; she bites you and goes down again,” he told gardaí. “She lies very well.”

The man denied that his actions put her in fear.He said the Family Court found against him because he was not Irish.

The accused told gardaí in his second interview that something was being done to him “back home”. He said “black magic” and “curses” were being put on him and made references to “pieces of paper” he would use to protect himself.

Asked why someone would curse him, he replied: “Back home if you did well people would have you upside down.” He said he had been told the person responsible wanted his marriage to end so the accused could marry his daughter.

“I want to add that when I ate or drank the evil spirits, I didn’t know I was doing it,” he told officers.

When gardaí asked him about an alleged incident where he threatened to cut his wife with a knife, he replied he had a butter knife in his hand during a row because he was making a sandwich for their son. He denied the threats.

He also denied telling his wife to go upstairs and undress. He said he told her to go upstairs and go to sleep because he didn’t want to row anymore.

The accused further denied making any threats to kill his wife over the phone while she was at her parents’ home. The trial continues.