Father kicked in door of daughter’s ex-boyfriend
By Brendan Grehan
A FATHER who called to his daughter’s ex-boyfriend’s house and punched his bedroom door after the ex had posted a photo of his daughter on Snapchat received a three-month suspended sentence in Blanchardstown District Court.
The father’s counsel, John Ward Bl, told Judge David McHugh that the girl, who was 15 at the time of the incident, had to go home from school when she became aware of the post.
Blanchardstown District Court
Garda Padraic Minnock told the court that the post showed the girl sleeping and was taken when she wasn’t aware it had been taken.
The father, aged 39, with an address in Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to burglary at an address in Lucan on December 3, 2018.
Garda Minnock said that on the above date, he received a call to go to an address in Lucan as a man had called to a house and “kicked the front door off its hinges” and then went up to the bedroom of his daughter’s ex-boyfriend and punched the bedroom door causing €60 worth of damage.
He said the injured party had posted a photo of the defendant’s daughter online. Garda Minnock said the man had one previous conviction. In 2006 he had received a six-month suspended sentence for assault causing harm.
Mr Ward asked Garda Minnock if he had seen the photo that was posted.
Garda Minnock said: “I didn’t see the post. I saw a screenshot. It was on snapchat.
“It showed a photograph of the girl when she was asleep and she was not aware that the photo had been taken.”
Mr Ward said his client’s daughter had been in a relationship with the injured party. He said she had become upset when she became aware of the post and had to go home from school.
He said the girl had great family support and the support of her classmates.
Mr Ward said the girl was now 16.
Under cross-examination from Mr Ward, Garda Minnock accepted that there was no visual damage to the front door.
Judge McHugh noted that the man had a previous conviction for assault causing harm.
Mr Ward said: “It was a long time ago”.
Judge McHugh said: “That could lead me to the conclusion that on the personality spectrum that your client is a hothead.”
Mr Ward said his client had done what “any other caring father would do”.
He said his client would be willing to pay compensation.
Taking into account the plea of guilty and the man’s previous record, Judge McHugh sentenced the man to three months jail, suspended for 12 months.
