Woman fled State after husband attacked her, court hears

A woman has told a court she had to flee Ireland after her husband physically attacked her.

The woman told Dublin District Family Court on Wednesday that her husband was physically violent towards her and one of their two children.

She said she was forced to flee the country earlier this year and has been staying in a refuge since returning back to Ireland two days ago.

In a written statement to the court, the woman said their son, who has complex health needs, told his teacher last March that his father had hit him.

“The teacher called my husband and threatened to call Tusla. He got very angry and he hit me and kicked me,” the woman said. “He also beat my son. I was afraid to call the gardaí because he would make my life misery. I fled abroad.”

The woman told the court her husband thought that she had reported him to their son’s teacher. She said she could not bring her children abroad with her as her husband took their passports. The woman returned to Ireland two days ago and is staying in a refuge.

“I’m scared to go home, I’m terrified of him,” she said.

Judge Gerard Furlong granted a protection order, which prohibits the woman’s husband from engaging in violence or threats of violence. It does not oblige him to leave the family home.

The judge said it was a delicate situation and a barring order, which would ban the woman’s husband from the family home, would be a “big change” for their son and may disrupt his routine.

“I have to consider the children as well as yourself,” he said. “Normally with that evidence I would give you a barring order.”

Judge Furlong told the woman to call gardaí immediately if her husband was threatening her. He set a full hearing for a later date.

Locked in house

Separately, a woman told the court her partner of almost 20 years threatened to kill her before locking her and their children into their house.

The woman said her husband had been physically violent towards her and verbally abusive to their five children. In a written statement to the court, the woman said her husband arrived home on Tuesday looking for their eldest son.

“He charged into him, I heard a racket and I tried to stop the fight and get my husband to leave,” she said. The woman said her husband started punching her and one of their teenage sons tried to get him off her. Her husband then started throwing glasses and plates.

“He threatened he wanted to kill me, I tried to get the kids out but he locked us in,” she said. The woman said herself and the children eventually got out of the house.

Judge Furlong said “this is a very serious set of circumstances” and granted an interim barring order, banning the woman’s husband from the family home, from any further violence or threats of violence and from watching or being near the home.

He set a full hearing, which the husband is expected to attend, for next week.