MAN WHO BEAT UP HIS GIRLFRIEND DURING ‘HORRENDOUS’ VODKA-FUELLED ASSAULT ESCAPES JAIL SENTENCE
A 38-year-old man who pushed his then-girlfriend to the ground and issued a death threat during a drunken assault has escaped jail time.Judge Francis Comerford at Ennis Circuit Court sentenced Colin Curtis of Horseshoe Grove, Crusheen, County Clare, to a suspended term of two years and six months.
Curtis pleaded guilty to causing harm through assault and to threatening to kill the woman on May 26th, 2023, at an apartment located on Parnell Street in Ennis.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Comerford described the incident as “a horrendous assault,” during which Curtis terrorized the woman for about an hour in her home.
He noted that the woman suffered various injuries, none of which were serious or life-threatening, and considered the case a clear example of domestic violence.
The judge revealed that his view on the appropriate penalty softened since first reviewing the case at Kilrush Circuit Court.
He emphasized that the unique circumstances justified a fully suspended sentence.
He commended Curtis’s efforts to amend his behaviour since the offence, stating he believed the defendant was making genuine attempts to change.
The judge also expressed awareness of the victim’s vulnerability and warned against viewing a suspended sentence as leniency.
According to Judge Comerford, a suspended sentence is still a serious penalty.
If Curtis breaches any court conditions—such as reoffending or intoxication—he risks serving the entire sentence in prison.
He highlighted that Curtis’s guilty plea, remorse, efforts to tackle alcohol addiction, employment status, and lack of previous similar convictions influenced his decision.
However, he noted Curtis’s record contains 25 other convictions, primarily related to traffic offences.
The victim did not attend the court sessions and did not submit a statement about her experience.
She managed to leave the apartment on foot and sought police help at around 11:55 pm, visibly bruised from the assault.
Her Garda statement detailed that Curtis held her down and threatened her, saying she wouldn't leave until she was dead.
State prosecutor Lorcan Connolly SC reported that the woman described being punched and manhandled around the room, with injuries including lumps on her forehead, swelling on her jaw, bleeding from her chin, and cuts and bruises on her neck, arms, and legs.
Garda Jonathan Ryan added that evidence from the scene showed bloodstains and spatters across multiple locations.
A neighbour depicted hearing the woman scream for the assault to stop, with the noise lasting for about an hour.
Curtis’s defence solicitor, Patrick Whyms BL, expressed that Curtis wished to apologize and provided character references, including one from his employer who described him as courteous and conscientious.
The employer was aware of the situation and indicated they would hold Curtis’s position open should he choose to return to work.
Curtis, who moved from the UK to Ireland in 1999, had previously lived in Dublin and Galway before settling in County Clare.
