A MAN who is alleged to have told his partner, the mother of their five children, that he would put her “in a coffin” with her recently deceased brother was given bail in a Limerick court.
Judge Valerie Corcoran told the man he was “getting bail by the skin of his teeth” after hearing evidence there was confusion about a court order banning him from contact with the woman.
Neither party can be named as the case revolves around domestic abuse accusations, and to protect the identity of victims and children.
The court heard evidence from the alleged victim and that her former partner rang her from a private number.
“I didn’t recognise the number and answered the call,” the mother of five told the court.
“When he spoke, I knew it was him. He said ‘you w****. You will be in a coffin soon with your brother when I get my hands on you’,” the court heard.
The woman, whose family had suffered the death of their brother after an illness, said in evidence “I felt intimidated and very afraid”.
She told the court: “My brother was only buried a week ago. He (the accused) has been given bail before and he only gets worse every time he comes out.
The man’s solicitor, Sarah Ryan, said that her client applied the day before the call for a safety order of his own against the witness.
He wants to organise access to his five children, the solicitor said, and had been told by another judge in another court that he could make a telephone call to the woman for that purpose, although a safety order was in place.
“He has no interest in my children. He has no rights to them. His name is not on their birth certs,” the woman said.
Asked by the judge if he is the father of the children, the witness said: “I know he is, but he says he’s not, so he’s not. He doesn’t want the children, he wants to get at me.”
Judge Corcoran heard that the accused, who is in his 40s, had 14 bench warrants issued for his arrest after failing to appear in court to face charges.
Prosecution for the State said there is a case still to come before the court and the State is objecting to his getting bail.
“We are very concerned that if he gets bail, he will intimidate or interfere with witnesses, of which his ex-partner is one,” the prosecution said.
Ms Ryan said her client had some “intellectual incapacity and has an acquired brain injury”.
Judge Corcoran said she was giving the man access to bail “by the skin of his teeth and very strict conditions”.
She ordered that he sign on three times a week at his local Garda station, and have “absolutely no contact with his ex partner, including telephone and social media contact”.
“Any arrangements about access to his children are to be made through a third party. He is to stay away from her completely and stay out of the estate where she lives.
“If he as much as dials her number, if he approaches her on the street, I expect Gardaà to bring this matter back to court. He’s to stay away entirely.”
The matter was adjourned until January 22.
– Court Reporting Scheme