A carpet fitter who beat his pregnant partner continuously after accusing her of cheating has been remanded in custody pending his sentencing next October.
John Hoey (24), of St Catherine’s Park, Rush, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to criminal damage on March 31st, 2024 and assault causing the woman harm on April 3rd, 2024.
The court heard Hoey pushed his partner’s head under the water while she was having a bath, threatened her with a Stanley knife and grabbed her by the throat causing her to pass out.
Garda Niamh Owens told Caroline Cummings, prosecuting, that when gardaí arrived at the scene they found the woman with a black eye and a cut to her head. She said she and Hoey had been in a relationship for 18 months.
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She said they had been living together and things had deteriorated between them over the previous month. She told gardaí he had been accessing her Snapchat social media account and had accused her of cheating.
A few days previously he had smashed their patio door and had struck her in the face leaving her with a black eye.
Garda Owens said the woman’s account to gardaí was that there were periods where Hoey beat her then calmed down and then attacked her again.
Towards the end of the attack, Hoey threatened to kill the woman if he saw one more message on Snapchat he did not like. They had recently found out she was pregnant.
She panicked and tried to run for the front door, but Hoey grabbed her by the throat, lifted her up and threw her across the hall, the court heard. When she got up from this fall, she managed to escape from the house.
Hoey chased her through the estate. He pushed her into the side of a skip but she managed to run away again. She screamed for help and two people passing by gave her their phone so she could contact gardaí.
Garda Owens said the woman told gardaí when she initially called them that she still loved Hoey, she was concerned for his mental health and she did not want him to get into any trouble.
Hoey made admissions during a follow-up interview with gardaí. He has no previous convictions. He and the woman and Hoey are still in a relationship, and their baby was born late last year. The woman did not complete a victim-impact statement.
Eoghan Weldon, defending, said his client is currently working as a carpet fitter. He said Hoey was “subject to a serious amount of violence growing up” and is aware he has anger-management issues.
Mr Weldon said he was not trying to minimise his client’s actions, and Hoey was “very stupid and very foolish” on the night. He acknowledged Hoey was fortunate the woman did not suffer more serious injuries.
Counsel said Hoey has attended counselling and anger management since the assault.
Mr Weldon said his client is committed to being there for his family. He asked the court to consider ordering a report from the Probation Service before imposing sentence.
In such a scenario, Ms Cummings, prosecuting, said the State wanted the judge to revoke Hoey’s bail and remand him in custody.
Judge Orla Crowe said the case was “very concerning” and she intended to remand him custody.
She adjourned sentencing to October. She said Hoey should engage with the Probation Service and undergo any courses that would focus on domestic violence.
