Kildare man who allegedly punched his wife holds her photo in court

A MAN who allegedly punched his wife twice in the face and threatened to behead her – in front of their infant child – will have to remain behind bars for now.

The man in his 50s, from Kildare, cannot be named at this stage to protect the identity of his wife and child, appeared at a recent sitting of Naas District Court from custody, where he had been kept since the allegation first surfaced on 15 January.

“Judge, it was an unprovoked attack,” alleged Sergeant Dave Hanrahan for the state.

“He punched her twice in the face, pulled her hair, and told her he’d cut her head off – and all in front of their five year old."

The man, who held a photo of his wife, stood silently in the dock as Judge Desmond Zaidan described the allegation as “a very serious assault on the mother of his children”, before remanding him back into custody, until 5 February at least.