Wifebeater 'didn't like how she answered a question'

A man kicked and punched his estranged wife to the ground and then threw a car battery at her because he didn't like how she answered a question, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard today.

Judge Michael White described the attack as "particularly violent" and "vicious" and imposed a three year sentence, suspending two years on condition that Thomas Hickey kept away from the injured party.

Hickey (aged 43), of Convent Road, Ballyfermot has no previous convictions and pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife causing her harm on June 18, 2006.

Garda Brendan Crawford told Ms Roisin Lacey BL, prosecuting, that Hickey went to his wife's workplace and asked her if she was going to sell their house. She said "no" and retreated into her office but he kicked down the door and attacked her.

He punched and kicked her until she fell to the floor and continued to kick her. Her work colleague told gardai he kicked her "like an animal". He then picked up a car battery which had been used to keep the office door open and threw it at her.

Gda Crawford said the battery was heavy saying: "you would strain your back lifting it" and told Judge White it hit the injured party on the side of the head.

Hickey told gardaí that had been in bad humour and when his wife had given an answer he didn't like he had "flipped". Judge White heard that a barring order was in place against him at the time of the incident.

The injured party suffered bruising to her face, ribs and arms and received seven stitches to her head wound.

Judge White said the court found it particularly difficult to understand how such a vicious assault could be perpetrated in the context of a couple who had married.

Ms Lisa Dempsey BL, defending, said Hickey had been unemployed and had left the family home at the time. She said he was "frustrated" with his life and there was a history of "emotional hurt and baggage" between the couple.