Man jailed for biting ex-girlfriend and headbutting security guards

By Jessica Magee

A man has been jailed for a prolonged assault in a supermarket and on a Dublin bus, during which he bit his ex-girlfriend twice and headbutted two security men.

Jordan Boyle (27) of Sheephill Green, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to five counts of assault causing harm at multiple locations in Dublin 15 on January 3 this year.

At a hearing in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Wednesday, Boyle was sentenced to four years in prison with the final 12 months suspended.

 The court heard Boyle bit his former partner on the cheek and on the wrist, dragged her onto a bus, hit her and threatened to kill her.

 He also headbutted a father and son who were working as security guards in Supervalu at Ashtown on the Navan Road who had tried to intervene.

In her ruling, Judge Orla Crowe described Boyle’s behaviour as “utterly flagrant and reprehensible”, as well as “violent, abusive, insulting, humiliating and degrading”. 

Judge Crowe read the woman’s victim impact statement in silence and noted the trauma of the assault had impacted her heavily and that she has suffered a lot since, including from insecurity and shame.

“It was a very frightening experience for her. She was terrified,” said the judge.

Sergeant Eimear Hamill told Aoife McNickle BL, prosecuting, that the injured woman was attacked on multiple occasions and had to attend St Vincent’s Hospital twice.

The court heard that Boyle and the woman were no longer in a relationship but had been socialising the day before and had stayed at the woman’s apartment.

She told gardaí in a statement that after an argument, Boyle threw her out of the apartment and she ran across the road in fear.

She said Boyle followed her into Supervalu and as staff tried to intervene, he leaned in and bit her on the cheek.

He also threatened her, screaming, “If you don’t come, I’ll kill you.”

Boyle headbutted two security guards and then dragged the woman, punching her and pulling her by the clothes and hair up the Navan Road to a bus stop near the Halfway House.

They got on the bus and sat upstairs at the back while Boyle was still threatening her, screaming: “I’ll get your face cut.”

The woman said she was terrified and that Boyle grabbed her and bit her on her right arm.

The woman got off the bus at Main Street, Blanchardstown and ran into the first building she came to, where gardaí and the ambulance were called.

One of the security guards, a man in his fifties, told gardaí he had been at the butchers’ counter in Supervalu when he heard a woman come in screaming, followed by a man with his hood up.

The court heard that Boyle had a bottle of Captain Morgan’s rum in his right hand and pulled in the woman with his other arm, as if to hit her.

The security guard said he managed to get Boyle outside but he was very aggressive and headbutted him. The staff member’s son, who was in his twenties and also working as a security guard, assisted in trying to diffuse the situation.

Boyle became more and more aggressive and headbutted the young man, who felt immediate pain and blood pumping from his nose.

Boyle was arrested some days later at the homeless accommodation in St Stephen’s Green where he was staying at the time.

He has been in custody since January 9.

CCTV footage of the incident in Supervalu and on the No. 38 bus were played in court.

Boyle has 29 previous convictions including robbery, public order offences and criminal damage.

Sgt Hamill agreed with Keith Spencer BL, defending, that Boyle had been addicted to alcohol and cocaine.

The court heard Boyle wished to convey his shame and remorse and had written a letter expressing self-loathing and disgust at his actions.

Mr Spencer said his client’s behaviours were “deep-rooted” and that Boyle’s father had been extremely abusive and alcoholic.

“The cycle of alcohol, violence and abuse is too familiar to him,” said counsel, adding that Boyle had begun to take cocaine at the age of 15.

The court heard that Boyle completed a Fás course in carpentry and aspires to becoming an electrician.

Judge Crowe said Boyle has been addressing his addiction and had pleaded early. However she set a headline sentence of six years in light of the sustained nature of the assault and the fact that it was in public and involved biting.

Boyle was sentenced to four years in prison with the final 12 months suspended for two years, backdated to January 9.