No jail for 'mortally ashamed' beauty therapist who attacked mother of ex amid break-up

The victim told the court that  she didn't wish for the woman to be jailed

Edel Lovett - who had pulled the 65-year-old victim to the ground, pulled hair from her head, punched her and kicked her in the chest - leaving the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin today. Photo: Collins

A “heartbroken” beauty therapist who attacked the mother of her ex-partner during a difficult break-up for her has been given a suspended prison term.

Edel Lovett (aged 33) pulled the 65-year-old victim to the ground, pulled hair from her head, punched her and kicked her in the chest. Lovett had gone to the woman's home to confront her former partner who lived there but instead she met the man's mother.

Lovett of Raphoe Road, Crumlin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Wainsford Manor Crescent, Terenure, Dublin on August 14, 2019. Her lawyers told the court that she was heartbroken by the break-up and found herself emotionally overwhelmed.

Judge Elma Sheahan said that it spoke volumes for the exceptional character of the victim that she had informed the court she didn't wish for Lovett to be jailed.

In a statement, the victim said that the attack had a profound and devastating effect on her life and she was unable to leave her home for four months. When she finally did leave she needed to be accompanied and she still struggles with some of the effects of the attack.

The woman told the court it was not her wish to see the defendant go to prison but said she needed to take responsibility.

Her victim impact report stated:

She is a young girl and she has her whole life ahead of her.

Judge Sheahan said that the mitigating factors included Lovett's psychiatric ill health at the time leading up to the assault.

She said Lovett's guilty plea demonstrates that she is taking responsibility and said her remorse can be accepted as genuine. She noted Lovett is of previous good character and the garda evidence was that she would not come before the courts again.

She suspended a prison term of 14 months on condition that Lovett engage with the Probation Service mental health and anger management programme. She also ordered that Lovett is not to attend at or near the home of the victim.

Finally, she ordered that a sum of €3,000 brought to court by Lovett be paid over to the victim and that a further sum of €5,000 be paid over in the next 12 months.

Maddie Grant BL, prosecuting, told Judge Sheahan that the garda had checked with the victim, who was not present in court, about the payment of this money.

Counsel said that while the victim appreciated the offer, she only wished to have her medical costs of around €600 covered. Judge Sheahan said that the payment was part of the penalty for Lovett's behaviour and she ordered that anything remaining after the victim's costs should go to a charity of the victim's choosing.

Defence barrister, David Staunton BL, told that this was an “incident of madness” for which his client was “mortally ashamed”. He said she offers an unequivocal apology and has done whatever she can in the meantime to address the cause of her actions.

He said Lovett had invested a huge amount of time in the relationship with the victim's son and had hoped it would “flourish” and they would have children.

“She was heartbroken and devastated. She took it very badly. She was unable to move on in a proper way,” he said.

He said his client has a diagnosed history of depression going back to her teenage years and on the day itself she appeared at the victim's home “wanting to confront her son”.