Husband who was allegedly violent and abusive held in custody by Kildare court

A MAN who has allegedly assaulted his wife for five years and whose behaviour in the marriage is so bad their preteen daughter is pulling out her eyelashes and attending psychiatric treatment was remanded in custody for at least another fortnight after the judge agreed with the gardaí’s objection to bail.

The man appeared behind closed doors in Athy District Court from custody, where he has been since 8 May for a breach of a safety order at an address in Co Kildare.

The investigating garda said he was objecting to bail due to “possible interference with the witness”.

He told the court how the wife had contacted her local garda station at 8pm on the evening in question saying the accused was outside the house trying to get one of the children to open the door and let him inside. 

He now lives in a separate county after his wife was successful in gaining the safety order last month in Naas District Court and was arrested outside the house.

The garda told the court that this was the sixth breach of the order and that he had been bailed both in February – “by yourself, judge” – and again in March.

“He has no previous convictions and has never been in custody before,” said defending barrister Sarah Redmond.

“He signs on twice a week (at a garda station) and has spent time in custody since Friday,” she added.

“Having marital difficulties?” asked Judge Desmond Zaidan.

“It’s really bad,” admitted the wife in evidence.

She told the judge she had been in Ireland for ten years since coming from an African country and she had no other relatives in the country.

“The marriage is in a really, really bad way,” she said. “My child is having to go to a psychiatric clinic.

“He’s threatening me on religion and culture and I have to obey my husband whatever he says."

“For how long?” asked the judge. “Can’t say, over 15 years, he’s done it to me so bad,” she said.

“Has he physically assaulted you?” asked the judge.

“Yes, for five years, he’s always had problems with me,” she said.

“The lower kids never witnessed assault, one is enough, and she is getting psychiatric help to get through,” said the woman.

“My beautiful dream girl is pulling out her eyelashes. He’s making it really hard for me. He sent my private pictures back to my country, he sent them to my mother.

“Why?” asked the judge. “Because he said I dress like a Western woman – he has destroyed my reputation in (home country).

“Then, last Friday my (younger) child was panicking saying: ‘I saw daddy in the back garden’.

“I have a camera in the garden, but when I went to it, the memory card was taken from it.

"This man needs help. He’s still sneaking into the house, jumping the wall from the neighbours.

“He always wants to know what I’m doing and has asked my (preteen) daughter about her period. I don’t want him near me,” she said.

Ms Redmond commented: “I appreciate there has been some bad behaviour shown on behalf of my client, but he has spent five days in custody, and the point has been made very, very clearly to him.

“He will continue to sign on for more days, will continue to stay out of (named town), and assume that entering there is not something he considers doing."

In closing, Sergeant Dave Hanrahan told the judge: “Promises were made to you before, and a young girl is pulling out her eyelashes”.

The judge said: “I am satisfied the objection (to bail) is well grounded in law and the compromise to her safety is realised".

He remanded the man back into custody to reappear at Naas District Court on 22 May.