Cork court hears card sent to ex-wife from prison was breach of protection order

Sending a greeting card from prison could have landed a 53-year-old man back in jail, because it was sent to his ex-wife, who has a protection order against him.

At Cork District Court this week, the man pleaded guilty to breaching the protection order on August 13, 2025,and to breaching it again more recently, when he turned up outside her house.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said at the in-camera (private) case — the parties to the Domestic Violence Act matter cannot be named — that there was nothing sinister in the greeting card, which was sent to mark an anniversary.

However, it was acknowledged that sending the card breached the court order as the man was required to have no contact with her, directly or indirectly.

Judge Catherine Ryan said that she was more concerned about the second incident, which was described in court by Sergeant John Dineen.

The 53-year-old arrived outside her home on February 22 this year, banged on the door, called his ex-wife a “bad person”, and shouted to “open the f***ing door”.

The woman said that she was put in fear by both breaches. She said her ex-husband did not accept that they were not getting back together, adding that he needed support to deal with his alcohol addiction. He has eight previous convictions for breach of a domestic order.

Judge Ryan requested a probation report, before sentencing on June 17. The man was remanded on continuing bail until then.