Man slapped partner across the legs

A man slapped his former partner across the legs during an incident at her home and, in another, refused to calm down at the house for gardaí and had to be pepper-sprayed.

Isaac Messou, aged 24, first came to the attention of gardaí when they were called to a domestic incident at 127 Kilbarry Place, Farranree, Cork, on January 26, with his partner at the time, Andrea Sterenberg.

Insp Gary McPolin said gardaí went to the scene and found the woman in a very upset state. Garda Eugene Fitzgibbon asked Messou to leave and he refused.

“He got aggressive to gardaí and said he would not leave for anyone,” said Insp McPolin. “He hit out and there was a struggle in the sitting room. Pepper spray had to be deployed.”

Defence solicitor Nancy O’Driscoll said that while Messou was pleading guilty to assaulting Ms Sterenberg, he did not physically assault her. He also pleaded guilty to obstructing Garda Fitzgibbon. For those offences respectively he was fined €500 and given a suspended four-month sentence.

Following the January incident, Ms Sterenberg got a safety order. In a contested case at another sitting of Cork District Court, Messou denied breaching that safety order by putting her in fear on August 7.

In that case, Ms Sterenberg testified that she was wearing shorts because it was summer and that he hit her across the legs with his open hand.

Cross-examining Messou, Insp Vincent O’Sullivan asked the defendant why he slapped her across the legs. He replied: “Because I did not want to hit her face.”

Ms O’Driscoll, for Messou, said he had been unwise to remain in the relationship. Ms O’Driscoll said he spent two weeks in custody following his arrest in August.

The solicitor questioned Ms Sterenberg extensively about her evidence in the bail hearing in August to the effect that Messou had called to the house that night. The complainant admitted this was false. Judge Kelleher also questioned her about this. The complainant said she drove to town and picked him up and brought him to her home on the night. She said she was afraid of him.

Judge Kelleher fined Messou €500 for breaching the safety order on the night.