Suspended jail term for assault on woman
The defendant pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
A man who dragged his then partner along the ground and threw a speaker through her car windscreen has escaped a jail sentence.
Shane Munnelly, aged 43, of Heather Vale, Castlebar, previously pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to charges of assault and criminal damage.
Sgt Joan Grady told the court that on October 31, 2021, Gardaí responded to a report of a disturbance at Heather Vale. The injured party had left Munnelly’s home and was down the street at a neighbour’s house with her then two-year old son.
The court heard she was “visibly, distraught, crying and shaking". Her top was ripped and she had a bloody lip and bruising to her body and face. The child was upset and crying.
The injured party alleged that Munnelly had been drinking heavily and got upset when the baby started crying. She claimed he “went crazy” and flung a speaker at the TV.
She said she left the house and was strapping the child into the car when the same speaker came though the windscreen. The injured party rang 999 but Munnelly took the phone and said she was responsible for the damage.
Munnelly was arrested at 12.30pm that night. He admitted smashing the windscreen of the car and causing injuries by dragging the woman out of the house but denied punching her in the face.
The injured party declined to make a victim impact statement. The accused has 18 previous convictions.
Barrister Diarmuid Connolly said Munnelly has started the MOVE (Men Overcoming Violence) programme and has cut down his drinking substantially.
Noting the defendant's strong work history, Judge Eoin Garavan said Munnelly “seems to have learned his lesson” and imposed a one-and-a-half-year suspended prison sentence.
- Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.
