An English national who was described in an earlier court hearing as a journalist and a gardener, was given a three months suspended jail sentence yesterday when he appeared for sentencing at Clonakilty District Court charged with assaulting his partner last month.
Mr Ian Bailey, (44), of The Prairie, Liscaha, Schull, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to an assault on his partner, Ms Catherine Jules Thomas, at their home in Schull, on August 18th last, when he appeared last week before Judge James O'Connor at Skibbereen District Court.
The court heard that on the night of the attack Ms Thomas and Mr Bailey had drunk a bottle of wine and were watching TV at home. When Ms Thomas turned off the TV and sat on the floor to sort out her handbag, Mr Bailey, who was on crutches after Achilles tendon damage, struck her on the head with one of the crutches. He had been lying on a sofa and as she tried to crawl towards the kitchen, blows rained down on her.
Insp Vincent Duggan said that Mr Patrick Hodnett of Ballydehob, a caravan dealer, had valued Mr Bailey's caravan at £1,500. However, Mr Con Murphy, solicitor, acting for Mr Bailey said a difficulty had arisen in that the title to the caravan was held by Mr Bailey's sister but she was not co-operating in its sale.
Mr Murphy said he understood that as far as the court was concerned the situation was "obviously unsatisfactory". Insp Duggan said some of Mr Bailey's belongings were still in the house which he shared with Ms Thomas. It would be very unfair to the injured party, Insp Duggan said, if the caravan or its value was handed over to Ms Thomas only for a third party to make a claim on it at a later date.
Imposing a three months suspended sentence on Mr Bailey, Judge O'Connor said he was taking into account that he already had served three and a half weeks in custody on the assault charge. He ordered Mr Bailey to pay £2,500 in compensation to Ms Thomas within five months and said that if ownership of the caravan was settled in a satisfactory manner the proceeds of its sale could be used to pay part of the compensation.
Mr Bailey was also bound to the peace for two years. The judge further ordered that any property belonging to Mr Bailey in the caravan should be removed by him with gardai in attendance.