Dublin man jailed after biting woman's face

Fiona Ferguson

A Dublin man who bit a woman he was dating on the face after grabbing her by the neck has been jailed for 15 months.

Shane Cowzer (31) called the woman a “cheater”, told her she was “lucky she was not dead”, and later threatened to come to her work after she ended the relationship.

Cowzer of Lower Gardiner Street pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm on January 28th, 2023.

Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Martin Nolan said Cowzer had thrown a phone at the woman, grabbed her twice by the neck and then bizarrely bit her on the face.

Judge Nolan said it seemed the relationship had gone sour and the man acted out of bed temper and jealousy. He noted they have both since gone their separate ways.

The judge said he thought Cowzer deserved a custodial term for his misbehaviour and imposed a 15-month sentence.

Tinder

Garda Ronan Harris told Rebecca Smith BL, prosecuting, that the couple had met on Tinder and were seeing each other for a couple of weeks. On the date of the assault, Cowzer was staying at the woman’s home, and she was woken by him throwing a phone at her.

Cowzer was screaming that she was texting someone else, that he was going to smash up the house, and she was lucky she was not dead. He grabbed her by the neck after she asked him to leave.

She ran to a friend’s house but returned later, and he was still there, shouting out the window. He let her in the back door, and she later gave him a lift into the city. When she parked, he began screaming at her and grabbed her by the neck, before biting her on the face.

He then kissed her and said he would see her later. She saw the man again, and he went through her phone, telling her he did not trust her. She later told him the relationship was over, and he threatened to come to her work via Instagram messages.

The woman made a statement to gardai, and Cowzer, who has nine previous convictions, was arrested.

Victim impact statement

In her victim impact statement, the woman said she believed Cowzer was going to kill her during the assault. She described the adverse effect the offences have had on her life. She included how she felt anxious and unsafe, went to counselling and took antidepressants and sleeping tablets.

“I would not wish what happened to me to me on my worst enemy,” she said.

Luke O’Higgins BL, defending, said at the time of this offence, Cowzer had been homeless and abusing cannabis, cocaine and tablets. He said his client has since “done a complete 180” in his life.

He said Cowzer was miserable at the time and was visiting that misery on the victim and his family.

Mr O’Higgins said Cowzer is now employed, engaging in drug treatment and in a committed relationship. He submitted that the progress he has made would be lost if he were jailed. He has not picked up any further charges.

He said Cowzer had formed the impression she was talking to others and did not have the emotional intelligence to deal with it. He said he should have walked away, but did not do so.

Counsel said his client was offering €1,000, which would be available soon if the case was dealt with in a non-custodial manner.