Accused ‘dragged sleeping woman by hair’, Cork court told

A sleeping woman was allegedly dragged by the hair from her bed by her partner, who smashed her face into a bedside locker and caused her numerous injuries, a court has heard.

Yesterday, the accused man consented to a remand in custody for four weeks.

Directions in the case are awaited from the DPP, and bail was previously refused. He can be remanded in custody for no more than a fortnight without his consent, and with his consent to a maximum of four weeks at a time.

Judge Miriam Walsh noted the consent to four weeks and adjourned the case until July 16.

No reason was given for the delay in bringing the case, which dates back to April 13, 2020, but the 42-year-old accused man had been arrested on a bench warrant.

Sergeant John Kelleher said the woman was at home in her apartment in Cork city with her partner on April 13, 2020. “Both had dinner and consumed alcohol during the course of the evening,” he said.

“[The young woman] states that shortly after 1am, his mood changed and he became annoyed. She went to bed, and he remained in the kitchen.

“Sometime later, she was awoken as her partner was dragging her out of bed by the hair. She alleges he hit her head against the edge of a wooden wardrobe and smashed her face into the bedside locker. He then left the apartment. Gardaí were called.

“The injured party was bleeding from her head, and her face was bruised.

The sergeant went through the medical report and outlined the injuries described. 

They included soft tissue injuries to her head, face, arms, and torso; bruising around the left eye and the bridge of the nose; bruising of the right armpit and both arms; abrasions over the right shoulder; red bump to the left thoracic area; and a laceration to the scalp. The woman was distressed, the court heard.