By Declan Brennan
A construction worker has been jailed for 18 months for an assault on his ex-girlfriend during which he threatened to stab her.
Judge Nolan said that Dublin man Aaron Broderick (29) was unhappy about the break-up and harassed the victim before assaulting her.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Broderick on July 27, 2019 came up behind the woman while she was walking home from work and approaching her home in Crumlin, south Dublin.
He put his arm around her and told her to keep walking or he would stab her, a garda witness told the court.
The woman began screaming and he put his fingers into her mouth to try to silence her.
The woman told the court in a victim impact statement that she was struggling to breathe at this point.
She fell down during a struggle and Broderick grabbed her by the neck and pushed her over a neighbours’ wall.
She continued to try to scream out for help and Broderick again forced his fingers into her mouth.
The woman’s screaming alerted her mother who lived with her at their nearby home and Broderick left the scene.
The court heard that later that night the woman found a hand written message at her home stating “love you” alongside a “sad smiley face”.
The court heard Broderick had taken the woman’s house keys from her purse and entered her home later that night and stole her mobile phone and items of clothing.
Broderick, of Clogher Road, Crumlin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on July 27, 2019.
He also admitted burglary and theft at her home later that night.
The court heard that two days before the assault, Broderick has also broken into the victim’s home.
She awoke to find him lying on the floor using her mobile phone.
She told him to give the phone back and he did so and left.
Broderick pleaded guilty to trespass in relation to this incident on July 25, 2019.
In her victim impact statement, the woman described the psychological damage she suffered as a result of the attack.
Defending counsel told Judge Martin Nolan that Broderick regrets his actions every day and wished to apologise profusely to the victim.
Counsel said that after the couple’s relationship soured, Broderick began abusing drugs and things spiralled out of control.
He said that since the assault, Broderick has engaged in a drug detox programme in Switzerland and in the Men Overcoming Violent Emotions programme.
He said he is currently working in construction at the Intel facility.