For ex-partner to call woman 'a bitch and a psycho is very diminishing,' judge says at Cork District Court

A WOMAN arrived in fear at her local Garda station because her ex-partner called her a ‘bitch’ and a ‘psycho’ in texts.

Her ex-partner had been required under the terms of a Domestic Violence Act court order not to beset her home or do anything to put her in fear, but when she woke at 5.30am one morning she saw that he was in a car outside her house.

Judge Mary Dorgan noted that the accused had been convicted and sentenced for previous breaches of a protection order in respect of his ex-partner.

“It defies belief that someone who got a five-month suspended sentence did not know that the protection order had various conditions attached to it,” Judge Dorgan said. 

“It defies belief that he thinks it is reasonable to turn up at 5.30am for an access arrangement (in respect of a child) for some time during the day.

“He would have known previously, from the protection order, that there was to be no communication, other than respectful communication by text in relation to access. But to call her a bitch and a psycho is very diminishing,” Judge Dorgan said.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said of one breach of the protection order: 

“He was due to collect his child, but he arrived three hours early. She felt he was watching the house, putting her in fear. He did not threaten her, but his actions caused fear.”

The judge added that the accused might have been at the house for hours before his ex-partner saw him at 5.30am.

In the second incident, there was texting between the parties, but this became abusive when he called her a ‘bitch’ and ‘psycho’.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor for the defendant, said that because his client was out of the family home, he had no place to stay and was sleeping in his car.

Mr Buttimer said he parked outside the house in that context. He said the language used in the texts was ‘inappropriate’.

Judge Dorgan said: 

“What enables access to go well is that there is mutual respect. He should not have been there. And he should not have been calling her names.”

The judge said she would direct the preparation of a probation report to assist in implementing restorative justice, not in terms of any reconciliation of the parties, but for the purpose of putting matters on a more respectful footing for future child-access arrangements.

The case was adjourned until April 4 to allow time for the probation report. The parties to this case, dealt with at an in-camera hearing of Cork District Court, cannot be identified.