Judge says man displayed ‘breathtaking arrogance’
By Brendan Grehan
A WEST Dublin man who contravened a protection order by banging on the car window of his ex-partners car and threatening her has been jailed for two months by Blanchardstown District Court.
Sentencing the 30-year-old, Judge David McHugh told the court that the accused had shown “breathtaking arrogance”.
Blanchardstown District Court
The court heard that the man had taken three convictions for contravening protection orders against the same woman in 2018.
The man, who has an address in West Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to contravening a protection order at a location in West Dublin on June 23, 2018.
The defendant’s ex-partner told Judge McHugh that She had been bringing their son to school on the above date. After leaving her son, she got into her car and saw that the defendant was following her in a car behind her.
She said she stopped at a roundabout and the defendant pulled up alongside her and started banging on her car window and shouting abuse at her. She told Judge McHugh that she was terrified.
The defendant’s counsel, Ciaran MacLoughlin Bl, asked the injured party if his client had left his car.
The witness said she did not know but said he had been banging on her car window.
Mr MacLoughlin made an applicaition for a dismissal on the grounds that there was no evidence that the witness had been put in fear.
Judge McHugh ruled that the defendant had a case to answer.
The defendant told the court that he had not been in the area at the time of the offence. He claimed his ex-partner was trying to get at him as they had split up.
Judge McHugh found the defendant guilty.
He said he was satisfied the man had breached the protection order on the date in question.
A Garda said the defendant had 20 previous convictions. She said he had three previous for breaching protection orders from May 12, 2018, May 14, 2018 and June 23, 2018.
Mr MacLoughlin said his client works and earns €450 per week.
Judge McHugh said it was “an appalling incident” He said the defendant had displayed “breathtaking arrogance”.
He sentenced the defendant to two months imprisonment.
He told the court garda: “Take him down”.
Mr MacLoughlin asked the judge to suspend the sentence.
Judge McHugh said he had made his decision and told the court garda again: “take him down”.
He also made an order that the defendant is to stay away from his ex-partner.
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