Woman receives protection order at Kildare court after alleged assault
Photo for illustrative purposes only
“I DON'T like using family law to bypass criminal proceedings,” grimaced the judge, before grudgingly granting an interim protection order to a woman claiming domestic assault, but who had refused to go to her garda station.
The young mother appeared at the family law sessions behind closed doors in Athy District Court seeking the order against her partner.
“He hit me last Saturday night,” she alleged at the ex parte [one-sided] hearing.
“I wanted to go home with the daughter, she has epilepsy … I have to stay in a friend’s house now,” she said.
“Can I not get him barred from the house so I can get back in with me kids?” she asked.
“The people who protect you are the guards and you haven’t even gone to them,” said Judge Desmond Zaidan, before continuing: “I don’t like using family law to bypass criminal proceedings.”
“Do you see that piece of paper?” said the judge holding up the as yet unsigned protection order.
“It has a lot of power in it … if he is foolish enough to breach a protection order, the law will catch up with him and he will face up to one year in jail,” explained Judge Zaidan to the young mother.
He decided in the long run to grant it as an interim order and adjourned the next hearing on the issue until 10 November, when both parties must appear if she is to seek any extension or alteration of the order.
“Go to your local garda station on your way home and show them this,” he said, running his finger along the appropriate dotted line.
“And get a phone number,” he said.
