Man who threatened to shave ex-partner’s head found guilty of assault

A man who threatened to shave his former partner’s head and kicked down a bathroom door to continue attacking her has been ordered to stay away from her for 30 years.

Daniel Wildes (32) of Devitt Villas, Glasthule, Dublin, had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm, threats to kill and false imprisonment of Natasha Cummins at her home on April 1st, 2018.

A jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on the charge of assault causing harm after deliberating for four hours and 39 minutes.

The jury also returned unanimous verdicts of not guilty on the charges of threats to kill and false imprisonment.

Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced Wildes to four years' imprisonment, but suspended the final year of the sentence providing he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for a period of three years post-release.

Judge Ryan also suspended the final year on the condition that Wildes stay away from Ms Cummins and from her property or place of employment, and that he in no way attempt to contact her or get another person to contact her on his behalf, for a period of 30 years.

Sergeant Eoin O’Connor told Antonia Boyle BL, prosecuting, that Ms Cummins returned to her home after a night out to find empty beer cans all over her house.

Wildes, her former partner who had been babysitting their four children, said he would clean the house up and suggested she get some sleep.

Ms Cummins woke up when Wildes entered her bedroom and grabbed her hair. He demanded to see her phone and she refused.

Electric razor

Wildes proceeded to throw her around the room and kicked the back of her spine. He threw a cup in her direction which hit off a wall, and threatened to shave her head with an electric razor.

Ms Cummins locked herself in a bathroom and Wildes kicked down the door. Wildes had his knees pressing down on her chest and choking her when the doorbell rang and he stopped attacking her.

In a victim impact statement read out in court on her behalf, Ms Cummins said she had extensive bruising all over her body and that her doctor thought she might have sustained a concussion.

Ms Cummins said she suffered from flashbacks and nightmares. She said she did not think Wildes was sorry and was “not looking forward to Daniel getting out of prison”.

“He was always aggressive, but I never thought he would go that far with me,” she said.

Wildes has 40 previous convictions, including two for assault causing harm and a number for violent disorder.

Barry Ward BL, defending, said the court could distinguish between this offence and his previous convictions for assault, though he accepted this assault was arguably more serious. He said his client apologised unreservedly for his actions.

Mr Ward said his client accepted that he had assaulted Ms Cummins and in light of the verdict he accepted he went too far. He said that Wildes’ childhood had been marked by absent and insufficient parenting.

Judge Ryan said that this offence was “a very violent assault” and that it lasted between 30 and 40 minutes. She said the injuries sustained by Ms Cummins and the effects the assault had on her were taken into account when considering the sentence.

She said backdated the sentence to April 12th, 2018, when Wildes went into custody.