Victim of domestic violence thought she was going to die
Cunningham was convicted by a jury at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
A man who broke his partner's nose and a rib in separate assaults a month apart has been jailed for four and a half years.
John Paul Cunningham, aged 44, of Derrygorman, Westport was found guilty by a jury at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court of two counts of assault causing harm to Caroline Corcoran.
Gda Peter Clancy told the court that the first incident occurred on July 17, 2019, at 48 Castlegrove, Castlebar when Cunningham kicked and punched 53-year-old Ms Corcoran, causing injuries to her face, nose and chest, as well as fracturing a rib. Five weeks later, on August 21, 2019, Cunningham again attacked Ms Corcoran, who suffered a right eye abrasion, soft tissue injuries and a broken nose.
In a victim impact statement, which was read into the court record by Gda Clancy, Ms Corcoran described how her relationship with Cunningham changed her completely.
“Prior to meeting John Paul Cunningham, I was an outgoing person… now I won’t be able to trust another person again.
“When the physical abuse started, I made frequent visits to A&E.”
Referencing the incident on August 21, 2019, she said: “I really believed that I was going to die that night.”
The court heard that Cunningham has 42 previous convictions.
Defending barrister Diarmuid Connolly said his client’s actions represented an abuse of trust and abuse of an intimate partner. He asked Judge Eoin Garavan not to impose a "crushing sentence" on Cunningham and to "build hope and the prospect of rehabilitation" into the sentence. Cunningham apologised to Ms Corcoran, who was present in court for the sentencing hearing.
Judge Garavan described Cunningham as a "tall and fit" man who "drove his fists into a vulnerable lady".
“He learned nothing from the first episode and the violence increased during the second incident,” he said.
The judge commended Ms Corcoran for having the courage to speak out against her ex-partner. He imposed a custodial sentence of four years and six months.
