A MAN who thumped his daughter in a drunken fit at their Kilkenny home has been ordered to enrol immediately for alcohol treatment or face three years imprisonment.
The girl was in a shocked, dishevelled state and had dried blood on her face when a garda met her late at night in the city centre. She had escaped from her home while being assaulted.
The father of six was told by Judge Kieran O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that jail was not an idle threat.
He had gravely wronged his teenage daughter and should be thoroughly ashamed of himself. His guilty plea was his first sign of atonement.
"I do not know if you ever apologised to her or if she will accept your apology. But if you have not already done so you should now," said Judge O'Connor, who also prohibited publication of the names of the defendant and the victim to protect the family.
Judge O'Connor remanded him on continuing bail to March 20th on condition he enter a treatment centre immediately and remain there until the medical director was satisfied with his progress. Probation and victim impact reports are also to be prepared.
The 43 year old admitted assaulting his then 15 year old daughter occasioning her actual bodily harm at their home on August 5th 1994. He had no previous convictions.
Garda Pat Starr told Ms Miriam Malone, prosecuting, the girl refused to state who had assaulted her when he met her. She was taken to a safe place after medical treatment.
The assault happened at 10.30 p.m. when her father came home drunk. He went to her bedroom and struck her with his fist three times.
He also threw a chair at her before she escaped through a studio window.
Garda Starr agreed with Mr John Peart, defending, there was a personality clash between the father and daughter. He liked his family to be up when he returned home and the victim had gone to bed. Before this the defendant was a person of unblemished character.
Mr Peart said the defendant was prepared to start an alcohol treatment course immediately and to remain at it until released back to the community.
Counsel suggested that sentence be adjourned to give him that chance.