A man who was “raving and furious” after discovering he was not the father of his then long-term partner’s child has been given a suspended sentence for making threats to the woman.
Laurence Nolan (35), of Springmount Apartments, Finglas, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to causing criminal damage to the front window of his former partner’s home, making threats to kill or cause her serious harm, and assaulting Garda Diarmuid Murphy causing him harm on May 16th, 2022.
The court heard the assault plea was accepted on the basis of recklessness after Nolan pushed the garda, who then fell and struck the back of his head against a boundary wall. The garda required stitches to close the wound.
Judge Orla Crowe accepted the evidence that the offences were carried out “in the context of him being very upset about a paternity test”.
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She said this gave an explanation for his behaviour but was not an excuse.
The judge said Nolan arrived at the house “raving and furious”. He shouted and screamed at his then partner, saying she was a “dead woman” and a “rat”, before damaging her front window.
The woman called An Garda Síochána and Nolan pushed Murphy when he arrived at the scene, causing him to fall and strike his head.
On arrest, Nolan admitted he had gone to the house to confront the woman after learning that a paternity test found he was not the father of her child.
The judge accepted that Nolan had experienced mental health difficulties and addiction problems. He has previous convictions for public order offences and criminal damage dating back to 2010.
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She accepted that he has not been in contact with the woman since 2022 and there were no incidences of domestic violence during their relationship. He is now in a new relationship.
The judge also accepted that Nolan had not intended to hurt the garda and did not realise he was injured until he was told in the Garda station following his arrest.
She said he made “nasty and degrading threats” to his long-standing partner.
Crowe said it was “a marginal case” as to whether Nolan should be imprisoned, but accepted that a report from the Probation Service showed that he had “done a lot of work on his rehabilitation”.
“I have decided to give him a chance,” the judge said.
She imposed a sentence of three years which she suspended in full for 18 months on the condition that Nolan engage with the Probation Service. He is to take part in a programme called MOVE – Men Overcoming Violent Emotions – and attend for treatment in relation to his mental health and addiction issues.
