A judge has told a 49-year old Co Clare man who coercively controlled his then wife over a 17 month long period that it is “extremely likely” that he will be going to prison.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford made the comment after the man on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the coercive control of his then wife from January 2019 to May 2020, contrary to the 2018 Domestic Violence Act where he knowingly and persistently engaged in behaviour that was controlling or coercive and which had a serious effect on the woman.
The man, who cannot be named, also pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault against his then wife on dates from October 2018 to February 2020 at two different addresses in Clare.
Counsel for the State, Shane Costelloe, told Judge Comerford that the man’s ex-wife was present for the arraignment.
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It is the first time that a person has pleaded guilty to the offence of coercive control in Co Clare.
Judge Comerford told the man that he is not prejudging any matters, but “it is extremely likely that there will be an immediate custodial sentence of some form in this case”.
Judge Comerford said that he didn’t want to give false hope to someone who is facing the very serious prospect of serving a sentence.
Bernard Madden, for the accused, told Judge Comerford that his client is not under any illusions in relation to sentencing.
In July, Judge Comerford remanded the accused in custody after he failed to show up in court to hear his ex-wife give evidence at Co Clare’s first coercive control trial.
The trial had to be abandoned on its second day after the accused voluntarily admitted himself to a psychiatric unit, making himself unavailable to the court.
At the outset of the abandoned trial, Mr Costelloe told the jury that audio recordings made by the man’s ex-wife and their daughter will make for “difficult listening” in the trial.
The accused was subsequently released from custody after securing bail at the High Court and Mr Madden said that he was applying for his client to be on continuing bail in advance of a sentencing hearing.