Man jailed for “henious” assault on partner

By Natasha Reid

A father-of-four has been jailed after attacking his then-partner, kicking her over 15 times and stamping on her face so much that she pretended to be dead.

Jonathan Byrne (37) of Woodavens, Clondalkin in Dublin was before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to assault causing her harm, at her home on 3rd March last.

The court heard that the woman called gardaí the following morning, after spending the night dizzy and vomiting following the attack. Byrne had left the night before, warning her that it was not over.

The Gardaí saw significant bruising and swelling on the woman’s face and head, and an ambulance took her to the hospital. She later gave a statement describing the previous day.

She said that she and Byrne had gone grocery shopping and had an argument when they came home about him not helping to put the groceries away. They agreed that he would leave and then argued about him taking food with him.

“He exploded,” she said, explaining that he had punched her in the face with both hands until she fell to the ground.

“I was lying on the ground while he booted me in the face,” she recalled, describing being in pain and fear throughout the attack.

She was unclear how many times he had kicked her in the face, but knew that it was more than 15. He then began stamping down on her face.

She stopped screaming and pretended she was dead so that he would stop. He spat on her face afterwards.

The woman said that the beating felt like it had lasted hours, but she knew it hadn’t. She said that she couldn’t see afterwards, was dizzy and began vomiting.

He left and later texted her: “This isn’t over.”

He returned that night to collect things she had left outside the door for him. He pulled a plant out of a pot, shouting: “Where the f**k is it?” until he found his belongings.

Later in a garda interview, Byrne said that he had lost it after she had hit him ‘a dig’.

“The judge can give me 20 years,” he said. “I deserve it.”

“I feel horrible. I really do,” he told gardaí. “I didn’t mean to do that amount of damage. I’m just so sorry. If it could take it back, I really would.”

In sentencing, Judge Orla Crowe said the assault was a “heinous attack” on the woman and Byrne had “perpetrated a disturbing amount of brutality on her.”

She said this had occurred in her home, which should have been a place of safety, and had serious long-term consequences for her, including PTSD.

Judge Crowe noted in mitigation his very early guilty plea, remorse, history of mental health issues and background of addiction, which he has been working hard to deal with.

She set a headline sentence of five years and imposed three years and six months, taking into account all the factors. She suspended the final year of the sentence on strict conditions.

At an earlier hearing, Judge Crowe was handed a medical report and photographs of the injuries, showing that the victim had two black eyes.

The court heard that she was too scared to attend court, but had prepared a victim impact statement, which was read aloud.

The woman said that she now lived in constant fear and had PTSD. She said that she had been afraid to leave her house in the first few weeks following the attack and is still fearful because of his threat that it was not over.

“I’m no longer sure what he’s capable of,” she explained.

She said that she now suffers with her mental health and cannot work, to which the defendant called out to the judge: “She never worked, your honour. She suffered with her mental health already.”

She said that she lives in a constant state of fight or flight and has lost her hair due to stress. Her doctor has prescribed medication for both issues.

“He keeps asking me to write a letter to the court saying I forgive him,” she stated. “He’s constantly making me feel guilty for not withdrawing the charges.”

She panics every time an unknown number rings her phone, she added.

Emmet Nolan BL, defending Byrne, said that, notwithstanding his client’s demeanour in court, he was remorseful and deeply ashamed.

“I think it’s fair to say this was a vile, cowardly and disgusting attack perpetrated on his intimate partner,” he said.

Counsel said that Byrne had previously worked in landscaping but now receives disability allowance and is living with his mother.

He said that Byrne had lost a child at nine days old some 18 years ago, had suffered with depression and had been on heroin. He had also suffered cysts in his brain.