VINCENT CONNELL, the former disc jockey, wants to leave the jurisdiction if he is deemed to have already served his sentence, his counsel said yesterday.
Connell pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court yesterday to charges of assaulting four of his former girlfriends between 1978 and 1989.
Mr Justice Budd said that he understood the maximum sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm was five years' penal servitude and that Connell had already served the equivalent of a seven year sentence. Mr Dennis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, agreed that this was so.
Mr Barry White SC, defending, said that the court had heard that the four victims were hugely relieved that they did not have to give evidence. He said that it was Connell's desire to leave the jurisdiction, and that would go some way towards assuaging the fears of the women.
Connell was arrested in May 1990 and had spent five years and one month in custody. The court also heard that on April 3rd last year the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed Connell's conviction for the murder of Ms Patricia Furlong (21), of Mulvey Park, Dundrum, Dublin, during the Fraughan Festival in Glencullen, Co Dublin, in July, 1982. He had been freed on restricted bail in June, 1995.
The judge said yesterday that he wanted victim impact reports and a probation and welfare service report. He said that he was bound to look at the case from several angles, including that of rehabilitation of the accused.
Counsel for the State and defence said that they did not believe there was a statutory provision for a judge to order a probation report on an accused person where the defence did not seek such a report. Mr White said that he was not asking for a probation report on Connell.
Mr Justice Budd asked counsel to clarify the situation regarding a probation report and adjourned the hearing until today.
He remanded Connell on bail after Mr White gave an undertaking that his client would reside with his aunt in Dublin and not go near any of the victims.
Det Sgt Gerry O'Carroll gave evidence about the effect of the assaults on all four victims. He said that Ms Mary Creedon was a "severely traumatised woman" whose fear of Connell was still palpable today. She was now married with children, but was in great fear of Connell being freed.
Ms Barbara Rooney also had great fear of Connell. It was "almost an unreasonable, unnatural fear" which the witness said he could not assuage. Her fear outstripped that of the other victims and she felt that she had come close to death at the hands of Connell.
Ms Gillian Kane's fear was a never ending, traumatising condition which never left her, the witness said. She regarded Connell as the "reincarnation of evil". Ms Agnes Long felt the same and feared that Connell would come after her.
Following legal discussion yesterday morning, Mr Vaughan Buckley said that he wanted Connell to be arraigned on four charges. Counsel said that he was entering a nolle prosequi on four other counts, including one count of attempted murder, two counts of arson and one count of common assault.
Connell (45), of Neagh Road, Terenure, Dublin, was then arraigned. He pleaded guilt to four charges of assault, occasioning actual bodily harm.
Det Sgt Gerard McDonnell said that he was one of the officers leading the investigation into the offences.
He said that Ms Gillian Kane had been working as a dental nurse in Harcourt Street, Dublin, in 1978. She had met Connell in the autumn of that year at a disco and became engaged to him on December 24th, 1978.
On December 27th, 1978, Ms Kane and Connell went to Kelly's Hotel in South Great George's Street. Connell had been drinking all day and at 1 a.m. Ms Kane decided to go home. She told Connell he could stay as long as he liked and there was an argument.
Ms Kane went to the women's toilet and Connell followed her and punched her viciously in the head and face.
The witness said that Connell had told the hotel owner that Ms Kane was suicidal and had injured herself on a wash basin. The right side of her face was cut, bruised and swollen, and it had taken two months for the swelling to go down.
Det Sgt McDonnell said that Connell had started seeing Ms Mary Creedon about January, 1982. They had become engaged in April 1982 and continued dating until October of that year.
Between April and July 1982 they were both at a party and Connell and Ms Creedon were both singing. Connell told Ms Creedon to shut up and she became upset and went into the hall. Another man came into the hall and Connell accused the man and Ms Creedon of getting up to something.
Connell had drink taken and he hit Ms Creedon in the face. He then pressed her up against the wall and tried to choke her with his hands. Ms Creedon kicked him and he let go. The next day she had a black eye. Connell phoned her several times that day to apologise and she told him she didn't want to see him again.
The witness said that the third assault occurred in May, 1981. Ms Agnes Long was a girlfriend of Connell's that year and in May they went to a club together. Connell gave her a "clout" in the face and then put a cigarette into the right side of her face, which caused a superficial burn.
The fourth assault occurred about November 21st, 1989, the witness said. Ms Barbara Rooney was living with Connell in a flat in Fairview. On Monday, November 20th, they went out for a drink in a local pub. When they returned to the flat Connell was in an aggressive mood and raised his hand, threatening to strike her.
Ms Rooney had told him she would scream for a man in another flat. Connell then took a sharp knife from a kitchen drawer and said he would stick it in the man and then in Ms Rooney.
Connell then put his hands around Ms Rooney's neck and she had to gasp for breath. She was sure he would kill her, the witness said. Ms Rooney then passed out.
When she woke up she was lying in bed beside a sleeping Connell.
She went to a local Garda station and returned with the gardai, who told Connell to leave the flat.