Suspended jail term for Mayo man who assaulted his wife in front of gardaí
The defendant pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
A man struck his wife in front of Gardaí following a row over his drinking.
Patrick Ward, aged 46, of Moy Heights, Ballina, pleaded guilty to the assault when he appeared before Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
Gda Eric Carney told the court that on April 12, 2023, officers responded to a report of a disturbance at the home Ward shared with his wife Bridget and their children.
Ward appeared “bemused” when he opened the door to be met with Gardaí. He said his wife was in bed.
Mrs Ward came down the stairs and told Gardaí she wanted her husband out of the house. The couple were bickering before Ward struck his wife with an open hand to the face causing her nose to bleed. He was arrested at the scene.
The court heard Ward’s wife had been upset that he had been drinking in town all day before returning home.
“This was a domestic disturbance that got completely out of hand,” said barrister Brendan McDonagh, representing the father-of-two who has five previous convictions.
“This was an aberration,” Mr McDonagh stated, adding that the couple remain in a relationship.
“It’s hitting domestic violence, it’s hitting women,” remarked Judge Eoin Garavan.
“Children and wives don’t like angry and drunken fathers in their house at any time,” he added.
The judge imposed a four-month suspended prison sentence and ordered Ward to undertake 80 hours of community service.
“I hope that will teach him that lashing out at women is totally unacceptable and cowardly,” said Judge Garavan.
