A man who assaulted his ex-partner following a row over credit card bills has been given a three-year suspended sentence at the Central Criminal Court.
Patrick Whelan (45), O’Connell Street, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, was convicted by a jury last December of assault causing harm to Jennifer Kay at her home in Waterford on March 7th, 2009.
Mr Justice Paul Carney said an assault on a woman must be treated with the “utmost gravity”.
Mr Justice Carney suspended the entire term on the condition that Whelan keep away from the victim and be of good behaviour for three years.
Garda Damien Ryan told prosecuting counsel Pauline Walley SC that Whelan was in a long-term relationship with Ms Kay but it had broken up on New Year’s Eve in 2008.
They were in regular contact with each other as Ms Kay was paying back €100 a week on a credit card bill she owed Whelan. Ms Kay told gardaí she was home alone on March 7th, 2009, when she woke up to find Whelan in her house and that he attacked her.