Sentencing of a UK national who pleaded guilty at Skibbereen District Court yesterday to brutally assaulting his partner has been postponed until next Monday.
The judge said he wanted it determined whether Ian Bailey was in a position to pay compensation to her through the sale of a caravan or the legal transfer of its ownership.
Bailey (44), of the Prairie, Liscaha, Schull, Co Cork, pleaded guilty before Judge James O'Connor to assaulting his partner, Ms Jules Thomas, at their home in Schull on August 18th last.
Insp Vincent Duggan told the court that Bailey, who was recovering from an Achilles tendon injury and who had one leg in plaster, was watching television with his partner at about 11.45 on the night of the assault.
He was lying on a couch and when she turned off the television and began sorting out her handbag, she was sitting on the floor. They had drunk a bottle of wine between them.
Without warning, she received a blow to the left eye from one of the crutches which Bailey was using. Then, blows rained down on her as she tried to get to her feet. Mr Bailey also kicked her in the face using the leg which was in plaster. She escaped to the kitchen to call a friend and when her friend called back, the friend told her that she had alerted the gardai. Gardai arrived at the house and advised her to go to her friend's home.
Insp Duggan said Ms Thomas's left eye had turned black, her cheekbones were swollen and there were cuts and bruises to her hands, legs and lips. Subsequently, Bailey was arrested by gardai at Cork Airport under the Criminal Justice Act.
Mr Con Murphy, a solicitor for Bailey, said his client was not disputing what the State said about the events of the night of August 18th. He said the defendant was in pain because of his injured leg. He had been living with Ms Thomas for the past five years.
Their relationship went back at least 10 years and it was tragic to see it being destroyed in public in such a manner. Bailey, he went on, was "most sorry and wishes to apologise deeply and profoundly," for what happened.
He had some drink on him on the night and wasn't quite himself, Mr Murphy added. He had been in custody for the past three weeks and during that time was not able to receive physiotherapy which he should have been getting on his leg.
In evidence, Ms Thomas said that since the attack she had severe pain in her thumb and was suffering "stabs of pain in my hand". She said she was mentally shocked by what had happened and as well as suffering daily pain because of the attack, her sleep had been severely disrupted.
Mr Murphy told the court that Bailey was "impecunious" and had no continuous means of support other than his social welfare cheque. He had worked occasionally as a freelance journalist and also as a gardener, but otherwise he had no possessions.
At this point, Bailey consulted his solicitor and it emerged that he was the owner of a 10-yearold caravan which had been given to him by his family in England. The value of the caravan might be as high as £2,500.
Mr Murphy said Bailey would be willing to sell it and give the proceeds to his partner by way of compensation or simply sign a legal document transferring ownership to her.
The judge said he would postpone sentencing until next Monday, by which time he wanted Bailey's ability or otherwise to pay compensation to his partner to have been established.
Bailey was remanded in custody with consent to bail on a surety of £3,000, an independent surety of a further £15,000, agreement not to go nearer to Schull than 20 miles and by arrangement, that he should sign on at a Garda station twice daily. Mr Michael Doody, solicitor, represented Ms Thomas.