Father horse-whipped child, ex partner alleges
Photo for illustrative purposes only
A MOTHER who claimed her ex horse-whipped her infant child was given an interim Protection Order at a Family Law sitting behind closed doors in Athy District Court this week (24 February).
The woman in her thirties, who was quite distressed giving her testimony, told Judge Desmond Zaidan: “On Thursday last week he tried to strangle me, then he beat me up in the garden”.
“Three weeks ago, he beat my three-year-old with a horse whip, and said he’d do it again to discipline him,” she alleged.
A visibly shocked judge asked: “Did you call the guards?”, only to be told that: “they made me stay with him, and said they’d take my child if I called them again”.
“Which station was this?” asked the judge, and was told it was “Kildare Town Garda Station on 9 January”.
“Did you get the name of the guard?” asked the judge.
“I didn’t,” she admitted.
“You look for help and that’s what you get? That is a serious allegation. Are you sure this happened?” asked the judge.
“A hundred per cent,” she declared.
“I’m finding this difficult to comprehend,” said the judge.
“Are you married?” he asked.
She said she wasn’t, but had lived with him for three years, and had two children with him.
“Do you share a home?” asked the judge.
“Not anymore, I’m in rental accommodation,” she said.
The woman explained how her ex was the father of her child, and though a non-national, he was “awaiting his papers”.
“He’s working illegally on the Curragh,” she said.
“Paul, can you see if Tara is here?” said the judge to the court garda, referring to a representative of the women’s refuge Teach Tearmainn (shelter house).
“Teach Tearmainn helps victims of domestic violence, and is always a helpful voice on the other end of the phone,” said the judge, before ruling on the protection order and adjourned a full hearing to 9 June.
