Partially-suspended sentence for man who hit ex-girlfriend's head off wall
A man who attacked his ex-girlfriend and hit her head off a wall has received a partially-suspended sentence.
Michael Donohue (aged 20) with an address at Droim na Coille Avenue, Ballyowen Lane, Lucan, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at St Mark's Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin, on November 11, 2017.
Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced Donohue to two years’ imprisonment, but suspended the final 12 months on condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour and engage with Probation Services for 12 months post-release.
The court heard that on the date in question, Donohue ran towards his ex-girlfriend while she was out for a walk with her sister and grabbed her around the head and neck before hitting her head off a wall.
Donohue kicked her in the stomach and the head while she was lying on the ground. He then grabbed her by the hair and dragged her along the ground, pushing her sister to the ground when she tried to intervene.
In a victim impact statement which was read out in court, the woman said she sustained cuts to her legs and a lump on her head. She said she continued to suffer from panic attacks and was reluctant to leave her house.
Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, said that the relationship of four years had recently come to an end at the time of the assault with the woman having broken things off. He said his client accepted that his actions were monstrous and said that he presented himself to gardaí.
Mr Le Vert said that Donohue had had an argument with his parents that resulted in gardaí being called and an order being made against him. Donohue has no previous convictions.
Judge Quinn said the aggravating factors in the case were the seriousness of the assault and the injuries caused. He said the mitigating factors were his guilty plea, his remorse, his lack of previous convictions and the fact that he presented himself to gardaí.
