Estranged husband convinced wife ‘possessed by demons’, court told

A woman has told a District Court judge her estranged husband is convinced she is evil and possessed by demons and screams at her so loudly she wears earphones to drown out the noise.

The woman became distressed during the hearing of her application on Friday for a protection order against the man.

Although the couple separated in recent months, they continue to live in separate rooms in the same rented house with their two children, she told Judge Deirdre Gearty at Dublin district family court. Both are joint tenants of the property.

Representing herself, the woman said her husband has mental health problems and is convinced that she and their young daughter are “possessed by demons”.

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He hits the walls and screams at her so loudly if she does not do what he wants that she wears earphones to drown that out, she said. She was concerned he has “brain-washed” their teenage son into sharing his view that she and her daughter are evil and controlled by demons.

He treats their son well but constantly says bad things about herself to the boy, she said.

Her husband also believes a neighbour’s dog is evil, she said.

She had gone to court previously, three years ago, and obtained orders for her protection, she said. After that, her husband had been diagnosed and received treatment and appeared to improve, leading to her applying for the orders to be discharged.

Mental wellbeing

His condition has deteriorated since and friends had arranged for him to go to a hospital emergency department where she was unable to convince doctors that he was psychotic, she said.

Her husband is on disability benefit and not working and is at home all day, she said. She is very fearful for the safety of herself and her daughter and has started recording him in an effort to convince doctors about his condition. She has arranged an appointment with Women’s Aid, the court was told.

The judge said she was satisfied the woman is in a difficult situation and is entitled to a protection order which restrains her husband being violent or threatening violence towards her. If the order is breached, the woman is entitled to call gardaí.

The order was granted ex parte (one side only represented) during a hearing of emergency applications and will be served by gardaí on the man prior to the matter returning before the court in November.