Man tried to strangle ex after hearing about miscarriage, court told

The man is charged with five counts of breaking a protection order, within the first week of it being issued. File image

A man allegedly tried to strangle his ex-partner when she broke the news she had suffered a miscarriage, a court has heard.

The accused, who is in his early 20s, cannot be named for legal reasons.

He appeared before Judge Grainne Malone at Dublin District Court charged with five counts of breaking a protection order, within the first week of it being issued.

Garda Christina Lawless objected to bail and said the injured party, a woman also in her 20s, was “in fear for hear life” and will no longer stay in her own home.

She said the protection order was issued on April 20 and served on the accused when he was contacted and asked to attend Tallaght Garda station. The man could face assault charges.

Garda Lawless agreed with defence counsel Kevin McCrave that the accused had been invited by the complainant to come to her house on Friday.

However, she added this was to tell him that she had suffered a miscarriage and she had contacted him because he was the father and she wanted to make him aware.

It was alleged that he became very agitated and assaulted her and began to strangle her.

The accused claimed not to understand the protection order issued in his absence following an ex parte application in the family law courts.

Garda Lawless said that when the man was aware of the reason for his arrest.

She also said evidence included photographs and messages.

Garda Lawless said the woman was now “afraid to stay in her own home”.

He was also alleged that he made a threat against his former partner.

The court heard that on the day he was served a copy of the protection order he waved a copy of it at her from a car as he verbally abused the woman.

Counsel said his client had just received a copy of the order and had not realised its significance. The garda told the court it would have been explained to him when the order was served.

Mr McCrave suggested the court could impose a number of strict bail conditions and his client could reside at an address in the midlands.

The accused is on a disability benefit and explained to the court that he suffered from a mental health problem.

The judge noted he had no prior convictions or any history of bench warrants. The protection order did not bar him from the woman’s house but it did bar him from putting her in fear, she said.

She noted the garda evidence, fears of witness intimidation and the seriousness of the charges. However, she had not heard evidence that he had breached a bail order. The charge of breaching a protection order has not yet been decided, that was an allegation but she had to be concerned at the seriousness of the case.

As a consequence money would have to be lodged for bail to be granted.

It was set in his own bond of €100 and required a €350 independent surety to be approved. He was ordered to live at an address in the midlands, have no contact with the woman and to stay away from parts of west of Dublin. He was also ordered to provide gardaí with a contact phone number.

A date for the full hearing of his case has yet to be set