Man to be sentenced later for robbing pregnant girlfriend’s phone after assaulting her

By Eimear Dodd

A man who stole his pregnant girlfriend’s phone after assaulting her at her home will be sentenced later this year.

Daragh Houlihan (33) of Chapel Lane, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery on May 4, 2021 on Rathmines Road. He has no previous convictions.

Adjourning the case for the preparation of a probation report, Judge Orla Crowe said yesterday it was “deeply concerning” to the court that this incident involved the robbery of an intimate partner, who was pregnant.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the injured party was making dinner at 5.30pm, while Houlihan was in the kitchen with her.

The victim attempted to make conversation with the defendant, but he didn’t respond.

She then suggested he went home, as they weren’t living together. Houlihan then walked over to where the victim was standing and asked her why she didn’t want to talk to him.

The victim was holding a knife, which he asked her to drop, then he went to grab it.

She turned round, and Houlihan was holding the blade with both hands. The pair wrestled for the knife for about one minute. The victim was crying and asking Houlihan to let go of the blade, afraid of what might happen if she let go.

The injured party shouted “blood” after seeing it on her thumb.

Houlihan let go of the knife and it transpired that it was his blood on the victim.

He accused her of stabbing him.

She suggested they call an ambulance, but Houlihan said she wanted her phone to call the gardai.

Her phone then started to ring and Houlihan grabbed it, demanding she give him the code to unlock it.

He then pushed her several times, including onto the ground.

Houlihan left the apartment and the victim heard him lock the front door from outside.

From the window, she saw Houlihan pick up her phone, which led her to believe that he had thrown it.

The defendant shouted abuse up at her. She asked him to return the keys, which he threw up to her.

Houlihan then walked towards Rathmines and the victim followed him to ask for her phone back.

During this encounter, Houlihan pushed her again, and struck her with his leg. He then threw her phone over a wall then ran through a set of closing gates.

The victim went to the garda station where she was observed to be in a distressed state.

Gardai went to the Mater Hospital the next day, where Houlihan was being treated for an injury to his hand.

He accepted that he had stolen the victim’s phone, which he gave to gardai.

Houlihan was arrested and told gardai during interview that he had taken the phone, but denied pushing her or any violent behaviour.

He told gardai he felt “ridiculous and sorry” so he went to retrieve her phone.

The defendant said he took the phone as he believed the injured party was texting someone about him, and this upset him.

He accepted he was cut while trying to grab the knife. Houlihan told gardai he didn’t believe the injured party would stab him during the course of an argument, but he wanted to put the knife out of reach.

Houlihan also said the victim threatened to jump out of a window during the argument, and he may have used force to stop her.

A victim impact statement was read by Shaun Smyth BL, prosecuting.

In it, the woman said the incident had “destroyed any sense of safety” she felt in the apartment and she was left “terrified”.

She said she blamed herself for what happened and suffers from flashbacks.

The victim said she was “broken down so much” that she thought what happened was her fault, but now realises it was not.

The investigating garda agreed with defence counsel that his client was cooperative and made a partial admission when interviewed.

It was also accepted that the guilty plea was of value to the prosecution.

Defence counsel said his client has addiction issues with cocaine and heroin, but is completing a residential treatment programme. His client has a history of employment, and worked for periods abroad.

Houlihan’s relationship with his ex-partner has improved, defence counsel said.

Defence counsel asked Judge Crowe to be as lenient as possible when sentencing Houlihan and to consider finalising the case with no immediate custodial sentence.

Judge Crowe said the court was concerned that the defendant’s substance abuse could have contributed to this incident. She also noted that intimate partner violence is considered to be an aggravating factor under legislation.

Judge Crowe ordered the preparation of a Probation Report and urine analysis for the next court date on June 19.