A businessman urinated on his wife, spat in her face when drunk, and punched a pony in the head, it has been alleged in court.
At the Family Court, the wife in the case made the domestic violence allegations as part of her safety order application.
After hearing the wife’s grounds for a safety order against her husband and that she is “finished with him”, Judge Alec Gabbett commented: “This is a very tragic marriage breakdown”.
“I’m sorry to say that, unfortunately, because of the assets the couple have accumulated, it is going to be one of those divorces that will take a while where they all fight it to the death and there is no money left,” the judge added.
Judge Gabbett urged the couple to go to the Circuit Court and get on with the separation.
In evidence, the woman told the court that “there have been some physical issues over the years”.
She said: “He grabbed me by the arms and put bruises on me. One time he actually urinated on me. He spat on my face when he was drunk.
“He has thrown appliances, he has smashed phones.”
She added: “He once punched a pony in the head, and he said 'that is what you have to do to teach them'.”
The woman said their two grown-up children have left the house, “because they were aware that they were living in an abusive situation”.
Undertaking
Arising from the woman’s evidence during the course of the safety order application, her husband gave a sworn undertaking in court not to use or threaten to use any violence against her and the couple’s children.
Represented by solicitor Colum Doherty, the man has also undertaken to stay out of the family home pending matters being decided in the Circuit Court.
Judge Gabbett said that on the basis of the sworn undertaking, he was happy to strike out the safety order application, but said the woman could re-enter the safety order application if there was a breach of the sworn undertaking,
The judge added that the application made by the woman was “a very appropriate one”, adding: “It is a very difficult thing to do.”
The woman said she waited a number of months to bring the proceedings under domestic violence legislation after a flashpoint at home “as it was a very, very difficult decision for me to make to try not to repair the relationship”.
“I felt very intimidated and scared of the process and the repercussions of going down this road,” she said.
“I am very scared and very intimidated by him. I am walking on eggshells, and I am full of anxiety when he comes home.”
The woman alleged her husband is “controlling”, and said he has verbally abused her and has been “extremely financially controlling”.
She said her main driver in bringing the safety order application was for the couple’s youngest child, who continues to live at home.
The husband gave the sworn undertaking at the end of the woman's evidence and did not get the opportunity to rebut any of the claims made against him.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Women’s Aid (24-hour freephone helpline at 1800-341 900, email helpline@womensaid.ie) or Men’s Aid Ireland (confidential helpline at 01-554 3811, email hello@mensaid.ie) for support and information.
Safe Ireland also oFoutlines a number of local services and helplines at safeireland.ie/get-help/where-to-find-help/. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.
