Man (31) accused of assaulting ex-partner while wearing bunny mask and wielding meat cleaver
Tom Tuite
A father of two, who allegedly wore a Halloween-style bunny mask and wielded a meat cleaver during an attack on his ex-partner in Dublin, has been denied bail.
Jamie French, aged 31, of Nangor Mills, Clondalkin, appeared before Judge David McHugh on Saturday, charged with assault causing harm to the woman, and causing criminal damage to her home on August 12th.
He was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday.
Giving evidence at Dublin District Court, Garda Brian Law objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the case. He stated the woman, in her 20s, made a formal complaint on September 4th, accusing Mr French, her former partner, of attacking her on a previous date.
The Garda contended that she answered the door to her home to see the accused wearing a "Halloween-style bunny mask and holding a meat cleaver."
She reported that Mr French entered the home, went to the sitting room and used the cleaver to damage her mobile phone. She told gardaí that the accused was extremely aggressive and pulled her by her hair to the floor, "pinned" her down. The court heard he allegedly shouted, "I'm going to kill you, you're dead".
It was alleged that the accused had her on her knees by her hair and "began to make strike actions with the meat cleaver toward the back of her neck, but not connecting."
The court heard he repeated this action four or five times, and she pleaded with him to stop, but he refused and "was foaming in the mouth in a rage."
Garda Law further contended that the accused pinched her in the face and began to kick her repeatedly as she lay on the floor. The woman stated to gardaí that she had a clear recollection of the events.
She said that she tried to get up and run, but he pulled her back and began to smash a cooker and damage a window before leaving the property.
The court heard she suffered a black eye and bruising to her legs, which had been photographed.
Garda Law informed the contested bail hearing that the mask and cleaver had been recovered, with pictures of them attached to the court documents. He described the alleged incident as a vicious rage attack.
The Garda mentioned that a search of Mr French's phone showed searches about getting a ferry from Belfast to Liverpool, but later clarified that this was before the alleged attack.
Cross-examined by defence counsel Kevin McCrave, Garda Law agreed the complainant had not come to the bail hearing. The defence highlighted that much of the evidence was hearsay, but the gardaí explained the woman had not been able to attend and was also traumatised.
Mr McCrave stressed his client had the presumption of innocence and the case would be sent to the Circuit Court. As a result, refusing bail would result in a lengthy period in custody on remand with no likelihood of a speedy trial.
The barrister suggested his client could reside at a different location in Tallaght. However, the judge ruled that the State had established the necessity to refuse bail.
The accused, who has not yet entered a plea, made no reply when charged on Friday night at Tallaght station and remained silent throughout his court hearing. Legal aid was granted.
Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions have to be obtained.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Women’s Aid (24-hour freephone helpline at 1800-341 900, email helpline@womensaid.ie) or Men’s Aid Ireland (confidential helpline at 01-554 3811, email hello@mensaid.ie) for support and information.
Safe Ireland also offers a number of local services and helplines at safeireland.ie/get-help/where-to-find-help/. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.
