Cork court: Wife denies charge of putting her husband in fear

A man reported to gardaí that his wife had put him in fear by saying on the phone that he would be in hospital by the time their family law court hearing comes up because her uncles would break his legs.

Regarding this alleged phone call threat, the accused woman said through her solicitor: “This did not happen.”

The complainant attended Mayfield Garda Station on Friday afternoon and said his wife had phoned their 12-year-old daughter saying: “You’ve made your choice, you cancelled your friend to be with your dad, you can’t stay in my house, you can stay away from my house.”

Sergeant Aisling Murphy said: “She [the defendant] further said to her husband by phone, ‘You won’t be coming near this house, you come near this house and my two uncles will break your legs… You won’t make it to the family law court… You’ll be in hospital.’

“[The defendant’s husband] said this put him and his daughter in fear and breached a protection order. That order precludes [the defendant] from putting him or dependents in fear.”

This was outlined at an in camera hearing of Cork District Court.

Solicitor Eddie Burke said: “This is absolutely denied — this did not happen. This lady has never been in court in her life.”

Judge Mary Dorgan adjourned the case until December 16. 

The charge faced by the 38-year-old is one of breaching a protection order by putting her husband in fear.