Suicide attempt by man in breach of barring order
A man accused of breaching a barring order by attempting to take his own life in the garden of the family home as his ex-wife and her friend looked out the window pleaded guilty to that charge yesterday.
He also pleaded guilty to a fresh charge brought yesterday of contravening the same order on an earlier date by sending numerous text messages.
The 47-year-old man had the fresh charge brought against him by Garda Chris Daly yesterday. The count stated on various dates between August 18 and September 9 at various locations via text, he contravened the barring order granted to his wife at the end of July.
The charge stated that he sent his wife 43 text messages during that period while there was an order that he would have no communication with her.
Defence solicitor, Brian Long, indicated the accused was pleading guilty to the charges against him and a psychiatric report was required in advance of sentencing.
Judge Olann Kelleher remanded the man in custody for two weeks for that purpose.
Mr Long said the accused could live with relatives if granted bail. Judge Kelleher said that bail had been refused already last Friday and that if the accused wanted to advance his bail application further, he would have to do so at the High Court in Dublin.
The injured party gave evidence at an in camera hearing of Cork district court last week saying: “The whole event has literally and utterly traumatised me beyond words. It is incomprehensible what I have had to live with. That is why I cannot compose myself here today. I cannot believe someone could do that with an audience, how he could do that with two people looking.”
Brian Long, solicitor, said it was with difficulty the defendant had given him any instructions. Mr Long said there was an unfortunate history in the defendant’s family.
The defendant said: “I guarantee I will never make a threat. I am missing my children. On the day this got out of control. I know what I did was terribly wrong. I was hoping we [he and his ex-wife] could talk.”
