Family court: woman claims partner threatened to ‘cut her up’

A woman has told a court her former partner threatened that he would cut her up and burn both her and her children.

The woman, who appeared before Dublin District Family Court yesterday, said she is afraid to bring one of her children to school because of the man and was granted a protection order.

In a sworn statement to the court, the woman said she and the man have a baby together. The woman said she fears for her safety as the man is violent and has beaten her on “a number of occasions”, including in front of their baby.

She said her former partner threatened that he would cut her up and burn her and the children. The woman said she was afraid to bring one of her children to school and that her former partner “is trying to make my life hell” as she doesn’t want to be in a relationship with him any more. The man was not present in court.

Judge Flann Brennan granted the woman a protection order on an ex-parte (one side only represented) basis against the man, which prohibits him from using or threatening to use violence.

A full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, was set for a later date.

Drink and cocaine problem In a separate case, a man told the court his former partner is

constantly harassing him. The man said he and the woman are “finished ages” but that she is making “false accusations” about him taking heroin and robbing.

In a sworn statement to the court, the man said the woman has also been harassing his ex-wife and turned up outside her place of work in recent days.

He said his children are afraid that the woman will turn up outside their school. The man said the woman has a “drink and cocaine problem”, and that “she drinks every single day”.

“We’re finished a good few months,” the man told the court. “I have her calls, messages and WhatsApp all blocked . . . it’s just getting worse.”

Judge Brennan granted the man a protection order on an ex-parte basis and set a full hearing, which the woman is expected to attend, for a later date.

Violent and agitated In a separate case, a woman told the court she was assaulted by her former partner during an access visit for their children.

The woman said she and the man have a number of children together. She said during an access visit outside, the man became “aggressive, violent and agitated” and was screaming bad words in front of their children.

The woman said she wanted to leave with the children as they became upset. She said the man blocked her car door and hit her hand when she tried to start the car.

The woman told the court the man began pulling her hair and ear when she started the car.

The woman said her former partner has told her “I will destroy you” many times and there was an incident previously when he “destroyed” her phone.

She said she is afraid of the man and had been advised by the gardaí to obtain a court order.

Judge Brennan granted the woman a protection order on an ex-parte basis and set a full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, for a later date.