The man used an axe to damage the car, which was parked outside a house in the Limerick region, and then set the vehicle on fire using a can of petrol and a rag

The stay-at-home father, who is in his 50s and moved to Ireland in recent years, pleaded guilty on Wednesday at Dublin District Court to breaching a protection order last September, which had a “harrowing” effect on his terrified wife

At a sitting of the Family Law Court, solicitor, Anne Walsh made the request on behalf of the mother of the boy going into junior infants this week.

The man previously received a four-year suspended sentence for assaults on his wife, with whom he has since reconciled

The warring couple have provided sworn undertakings in court that cover the use of the house immersion switch

He has 59 previous convictions, including convictions for theft, criminal damage, public order, breach of an order, and failure to appear.

The 35-year-old Dublin man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and breaches of a protection order