Woman posted Facebook images of her beaten face

A woman who posted images on social media of her injured face after she was beaten by her then-boyfriend has been praised by a judge as “maybe... setting the example for others to follow”.

Judge James McNulty made the comments after sentencing Tadgh Tuschewski to 18 months in prison, with the last six months suspended, for two separate assaults on Amy Fahy in July.

Clonakilty District Court heard that Tuschewski, aged 19, with a previous address at 3 Carraigrosa in Rossmore, Clonakilty, Co Cork, was pleading not guilty to the charges but admitted he had hit Ms Fahy and is sorry.

The court heard the incidents happened when Tuschewski and Ms Fahy were staying in a Skibbereen hostel on July 19. Ms Fahy said she received a call from a man she knew in Tipperary and this led to an argument and Tuschewski hit her.

“I had two black eyes,” she said.

He hit me about 12 or 15 times on the face.

The next morning, Ms Fahy was again assaulted.

“That was the 10th or 15th time he kicked the living daylights out of me,” she said. She reported the matter to gardaí that morning and posted images of her face on Facebook.

Garda James Crowley told the judge that Tuschewski showed him how he had hit Ms Fahy with “a rabbit punch” and he described the incident the following morning as striking her with an open palm. Photos of Ms Fahy and images of messages on her phone were shown to the judge, as was the Facebook post she put up of her face after the assaults.

Judge McNulty read out that Facebook post in court: “Tadgh Tuschewski you can fuck off if you think you are getting away with it this time, kicking the shit out of me 24/7 thinking nothing will happen.

“I am going to the guards this time,” Ms Fahy added as she urged others to not be “like the eejit I am for the sake of some young fella”.

The judge praised Ms Fahy’s “moral courage” and commended her for the social media post, telling the court: “Maybe she is setting the example for others to follow: That violent abusers are shocked and outed and shamed publicly for what they are.”

Tuschewski’s solicitor, Ray Hennessy, said his client is “a victim of his past” and his own previous experiences. Giving evidence, Tuschewski also referred to serious issues he said occurred when he was younger and the damage done to him.

He said he has been in care and that the relationship with Ms Fahy had been “toxic”. He told the judge he is very sorry to Ms Fahy and is working on dealing with his anger and his emotional difficulties.

Tuschewski, who had 26 previous convictions, received a 12-month sentence for the first assault and a six-month sentence for the assault the following morning, that sentence suspended for two years on condition he keep the peace.

Recognisance for any appeal was set on Tuschewski’s own bond and on an independent surety to be approved by the court of €3,000, one-third in cash.