Cork man, 78, charged with breaching safety order by putting his wife in fear

The latest alleged offence happened on Sunday, January 3, when the defendant tore his wife’s phone out of her hands.

Judge Kelleher adjourned the case for a month at Cork District Court.

A 78-year-old man appeared at Cork District Court charged with tearing a mobile phone out of his wife’s hands during an argument at home over Christmas.

He was charged with breaching a domestic order by putting his wife in fear on the occasion.

The only bail condition sought by the prosecution in the case against him was that he would stay away from the family home where his wife resides.

On Monday, at an in-camera hearing of the court the 78-year-old said it would be difficult for him to live somewhere other than the family home. However, when told that he would have to be remanded in custody if he did not find alternative accommodation he said he could live with his brother or his daughter.

Judge Olann Kelleher granted a brief adjournment so that it could be verified if there was compliance with the bail condition. Now back in court, Sergeant John Kelleher said gardaí received no reports of the elderly man causing any further difficulties or returning to the family home.

Judge Kelleher adjourned the case for a month today at Cork District Court.

Garda Keith Nolan said the accused had no previous convictions but that there were presently four charges against him for alleged breaches of a safety order by putting his wife in fear.

Garda Nolan said the latest alleged offence occurred on Sunday, January 3, when the defendant tore his wife’s phone out of her hands, putting her in fear. The other three breaches allegedly occurred in November and December 2020.