'I'll batter you all' - Man admits repeatedly punching his wife and assaulting garda during violent outburst

"Garda Gavin Cribbin told the court that the defendant returned home intoxicated on the evening in question and became "highly argumentative". He then started a row and threw an extension cable at his partner, which struck her on the eyebrow, before punching her three or four times in the face with a closed fist. Another man who was present in the house intervened and stopped the assault before gardaí arrived at around 7:45pm."

""When I arrived at the scene I noted the injuries sustained by the injured party," Garda Cribbin told the court. He said the defendant was "highly intoxicated" and while he tried to take details from the victim, the man "got up, stood in the alcove and obstructed me as I was trying to get into the kitchen"."

"Prosecuting solicitor Tom Conlon asked Garda James Hughes to read his victim impact statement to the court. Garda Hughes told the court that he suffered a large laceration to the back of his head, blurred vision for two weeks and recurring headaches for two months. He told the court: "It's part of the job - I expect it and it just comes with it"."

The incident occurred around 7:30pm on January 14, 2024, at the defendant's home. The defendant admitted a Section 3 assault and two Section 19 public order offences for assaulting and obstructing gardaí. Returning home intoxicated, he became highly argumentative, threw an extension cable that struck his partner's eyebrow, and punched her several times in the face. Another man intervened and stopped the assault before gardaí arrived at about 7:45pm. The victim had swelling to her right eyebrow and redness to her bottom lip. The defendant obstructed police, threatened to bite off a nose, squared up to a Garda, and attempted to drag the Garda to the ground, causing a serious head injury. A Garda sustained a large laceration to the back of his head, experienced blurred vision for two weeks and recurring headaches for two months. The defendant has 23 previous convictions.

Read at Irish Independent