Woman beaten, stripped by ex

A young mother was beaten, stripped, and hosed down in a cold shower during a terror assault by her ex.

The shower’s plastic curtain was torn down and she felt was “going to die” as a former partner threatened to strangle her.

A man, aged 27, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit yesterday to charges of threatening to kill his former partner, the mother of their two young children. He also admitted a charge of assault, causing harm.

Judge Tom O’Donnell said it was one of the most serious matters of its kind that he had heard, saying the victim sustained a “substantial beating”.

The pair had been at a pub to celebrate St Stephen’s night in 2014 but, on returning home, the man flew into a drunken rage. A prolonged assault only ended when a neighbour alerted gardaí. The children were staying with relatives on that night.

As he attacked his partner, the man tore off her clothes before dragging her by the hair into the bathroom. He shouted: “You will never see your children again.”

He then turned on the shower, hosing her with cold water and after pulling down the plastic shower curtain, threatened to strangle her. The victim was locked into the bathroom and when released, he forced her into bed where he continued to hit and kick her, calling her names.

She told gardaí at the scene if they had not come she thought she would die.

The accused told Garda Colm O’Shea he was disgusted by what he had done.

The victim, in a witness impact statement, said her life had totally changed for the worse. She felt degraded and worthless and had to be showered daily by her sister due to the injuries received.

Although the children were not in the house, she blamed herself for the affect the assault had on them. She moved home as she was worried about her own and her children’s safety. She still gets flashbacks and her son required counselling.

The judge adjourned the case to December 7, directing that no names be published at this stage.