‘HUBBY SPAT IN MY FACE AND PUNCHED A PONY’
Wife’s Safety Order bid is struck out after husband swears not to use violence
A BUSINESSMAN urinated on his wife, spat into her face when drunk and punched a pony in the head, it has been alleged in court.
At the Family Law Court, the wife in the case made the domestic violence allegations as part of her Safety Order application.
After hearing the wife’s grounds for a Safety Order against her husband and that she is “finished with him”, Judge Alec Gabbett commented that “this is a very tragic marriage breakdown”.
He said: “I’m sorry to say that unfortunately because of the assets the couple have accumulated, it is going to be one of those divorces that will take a while where they all fight it to the death and there is no money left.”
Judge Gabbett urged the couple to go to the circuit court and get on with the separation. In evidence, the woman told the court that “there have been some physical issues over the years” in reply to a question from Judge Gabbett.
She said: “He grabbed me by the arms and put bruises on me. One time he actually urinated on me. He spat on my face when he was drunk. He has thrown appliances, he has smashed phones.
“He once punched a pony in the head and he said ‘that is what you have to do to teach them’.” Represented by solicitor Colum Doherty, the man has also undertaken to stay out of the home pending matters being decided in the circuit court.
Judge Gabbett said that on the basis of the sworn undertaking, he was happy to strike out the Safety Order application.
Judge Gabbett said that if there was a breach of the sworn undertaking, the woman could re-enter the Safety Order application. The husband gave the sworn undertaking at the end of the woman’s evidence and did get the opportunity to go into evidence to rebut any of the claims made by his wife.