A day in the family court - ‘He tried to strangle me while I was pregnant’

A woman has told a court her partner pushed her and tried to strangle her while she was pregnant.

The woman told Dublin District Family Court on Monday that her partner has been violent towards her over the past year and she was granted a protection order against him, on an ex-parte basis (one side only represented).

In a written statement to the court, the woman said they have been living together and have a baby together. She said on Sunday night he threw the baby’s bottle at her.

“He has been physically violent towards me over the last year. He pushed me and tried to strangle me while I was pregnant,” she said.

“He is constantly verbally abusive and tries to belittle me as much as he can. I had started to ignore this bad behaviour but since then I think it has escalated.” The woman said she is in fear of her safety and sought a protection order.

Judge Gerard Furlong granted a protection order, which prohibits the man from engaging in violence or threats of violence. The judge set a full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, for a later date. In a separate case, a woman told the court her former partner threatened to have her home blown up and to cut her face.

The woman, who recently gave birth to their child, said earlier this month the man chased her in his van while she was in her car. The woman said he then took out a stick from his van and brandished it.

She said she thought the baby was in his van at this time but later found out they were with a relative.

The woman said she has allowed her former partner to see their baby and on a separate occasion the man threatened to have her home blown up and to cut her face. “I am very frightened of him,” the woman told the court.

Judge Furlong granted a protection order and told the woman “you and your child are protected by this”. A full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, was set for a later date.

In another case, a woman told the court her partner punched her after she tried to take her car keys off him as he was under the influence of alcohol.

The woman said she and her partner were living together for a short time but he recently moved out.

She said last week he was waiting outside the counselling service she attends. She said she called the gardaí, they came and took a statement from her.

In a written statement to the court, the woman said “he had been trying to get hold of me and keeps calling me from unknown numbers, threatening me over the phone since that day”.

The woman, who was in court on her own, said he has been leaving her messages stating “he’s going to mess me up”.

“I’m afraid that he might get physical because he did on the Bank Holiday Monday, he assaulted me,” she said.

“He took the keys to my car and he was under the influence of drink and I was trying to get the keys off him and he punched me in the face.”

The woman said this was the only occasion he was physically abusive towards her. The woman said “he was calling me all through the night last night, he leaves messages every day”. Judge Furlong granted a protection order and set a full hearing for a later date.