Woman sought order on Christmas Eve after son allegedly grabbed her by the throat

The case of a woman who said her son grabbed her by the throat was among a number of emergency applications before Dublin District Family Court on Christmas Eve.

Judge John Lindsay granted the woman a protection order against her son on an ex-parte basis. The court heard the woman's son does not live in the family home but does live close by.

A full hearing, which the woman’s son is expected to attend, was set for a date in the New Year.

Based in East Essex Street in Temple Bar, Dublin District Family Court deals with cases related to domestic violence, guardianship, and maintenance payments.

The court remained open on Christmas Eve, though it was restricted to “emergency” cases, and just one courtroom was in operation.

Much of the morning was taken up by ex-parte applications, the majority of which involved women seeking protection from their partners or sons.

A number of men were also before the court making complaints regarding breaches of access orders.

On the Friday before Christmas, a woman told the court her husband of almost 10 years doesn’t want her to work and that she is in great fear of him.

In a written statement to the court, the woman said that her husband was very angry because she had recently acquired a part-time job.

“He doesn’t want me to work at all,” the woman said. “He was pushing me to tell me how strong he was and said that he can do whatever he wants.”

The woman said her husband had bullied her and been aggressive in the past.

Judge Gerard Furlong granted the woman a protection order against her husband on an ex-parte basis that day and set a full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, for April.

There was an increase of more than 4 per cent in applications to the District Court under domestic violence legislation last year, up from 15,277 to 15,962, according to the Courts Service annual report published in July.

Barring order denied

In a separate case on Friday, a woman was denied an interim barring order against her husband.

The court heard the woman currently has a safety order against her husband, while he has a protection order against her.

The woman said her husband had breached the safety order and she had been advised by gardaí to get a barring order against him.

In a written statement to the court, the woman said the couple had had a disagreement earlier this month and that her husband had become aggressive, roaring and shouting: “Go on off with your fella.”

He subsequently started kicking a bedroom door, she said.

The woman said she had previously caught her husband on online dating sites.

“I’m not with somebody else,” she added.

The woman said she rang gardaí after her husband started kicking the bedroom door and he was later arrested and charged.

Mr Justice Furlong said he could not grant an interim barring order “based on that evidence” and that the woman’s safety order against her husband still stands, prohibiting him from engaging in violence or threats of violence.