A Dublin man accused of attacking his pregnant partner "threw" her to the ground, held his hand over her mouth and threatened her while holding a hatchet, a court heard.
Security guard Eoghan Maughan (32), formerly of George Reynolds House, Ringsend, Dublin, was charged with assault causing harm to the woman at that address on December 8th last.
The father of two claimed it was "blown out of proportion" when he appeared before Judge William Aylmer at Dublin District Court and was refused bail on Saturday afternoon.
Garda Keith Dervan said the accused's former partner of four years reported the alleged offence on December 11th, and the accused was arrested in north Dublin on Friday.
Garda Dervan said Mr Maughan made no reply when charged.
The officer objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the case and witness intimidation concerns.
It was claimed the incident happened at the woman's home, where she had been letting the accused stay, and they had a child together.
She purportedly told gardaí that they had an argument and that he wanted her to get a loan for a car, which she did not need.
The court heard he persisted, and she allegedly "snapped" and refused, so he threw a television in her direction.
It was alleged that "he threw her on the ground, held her down, putting his hand over over mouth stopping her screaming, she indicated she could not breathe".
The contested bail hearing was told he "held up a hatchet" before threatening to kill her, her mother and the males in her family.
According to the bail objection pack outlined in court, she went to leave, but he grabbed her phone charger and used it to slap her in the face.
When later questioned, the accused admitted the hatchet was in the house, but he gave reason for having it, Garda Dervan said.
The Irishtown-based officer maintained the woman was in fear of the accused and had moved out.
Gardaí conducted a risk assessment, but following questioning from defence counsel Kevin McCrave, it emerged that the document outlining the risk level was not in court.
The Garda said Mr Maughan had gone to Belfast, spent two weeks at a Dublin 1 hotel, and planned to go to London.
The defence barrister submitted that some prosecution evidence adduced in the bail hearing could be challenged at the trial, and he stressed that the complainant had not come to court to testify.
The Garda said the woman did not have enough time to make arrangements to be able to attend.
The barrister said his client, who has the presumption of innocence, disputed the evidence and claimed he had lunch with the woman since the alleged offence date.
Mr Maughan instructed counsel that he would not be going to London but would reside at an address in Ashbourne, Co. Meath offered by his employer, which gardai were not in a position to verify.
Pleading for bail, the accused told the court he had a hard childhood but was involved in his family's lives and loved his partner. He denied hitting her, saying there was a big fight which has been "blown out of proportion".
Mr Maughan also said that phone messages supported him and that all his property was still at her address.
He said that he had left it and went to Belfast for five or six days to clear his head, and he definitely was not a threat to the woman, and they had plans for Christmas.
Judge Aylmer remanded him in custody to appear again on December 27. Legal aid was granted.
