Man sent 10 messages to wife on the day two-year barring order was made

On the evening the barring order was made, he went to a pub and drank alcohol

Just after 10pm, the man sent 10 WhatsApp messages to his wife over 18 minutes, despite the order explicitly prohibiting contact. File photo

A Cork man who sent 10 WhatsApp messages to his wife hours after a barring order was made has avoided a conviction in the district court.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Bantry District Court to breaching a two-year barring order. The court heard he was barred from contacting his wife under the order.

On the evening it was made, he went to a pub and drank alcohol. Just after 10pm, he sent 10 WhatsApp messages to his wife over 18 minutes, despite the order explicitly prohibiting contact.

He was arrested later that night and spent the night in custody.

Defence solicitor Flor Murphy said his client had gone to the pub "feeling sorry for himself" and sent messages he should not have sent. The court heard the messages were not threatening in nature. 

Mr Murphy said the couple had been together for more than 20 years and had children. 

His client had struggled with the separation but had a good relationship with his teenage and adult children. 

The man was now living and working in another part of the county, the court heard.

Judge Joanne Carroll noted that there had been no difficulty since the incident in April 2026 and that the man had complied with the terms of the barring order. She said the order had to be obeyed and applied the Probation Act.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme