MAN WHO BIT WOMAN HE MET ON TINDER SENTENCED TO 15 MONTHS IN DUBLIN COURT
A Dublin man who bit a woman he was dating on the face after grabbing her by the neck has been jailed for 15 months.Shane Cowzer (31) called the woman a “cheater”, told her she was “lucky she was not dead”, and later threatened to come to her work after she ended the relationship.
Cowzer, of Lower Gardiner Street, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm on January 28, 2023.
Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Martin Nolan said Cowzer had thrown a phone at the woman, grabbed her twice by the neck and then bizarrely bit her on the face.
The couple met on Tinder and had been seeing each other for a couple of weeks.
On the assault date, Cowzer was staying at the woman’s home, and she was woken by him throwing a phone at her.
He accused her of texting someone else, threatened to smash the house, and grabbed her by the neck when asked to leave.
The woman ran to a friend's house but returned later, and he was still there, shouting out the window.
When she later gave him a lift into the city, he began screaming and grabbed her by the neck again before biting her on the face.
She saw him again, he went through her phone, and then threatened to come to her work via Instagram messages.
She made a statement to gardai, and Cowzer, who has nine previous convictions, was arrested.
In her victim impact statement, she said she believed Cowzer was going to kill her during the assault, describing the adverse effects on her life including anxiety, depression, and medication.
Judge Nolan said the relationship had gone sour, and the man acted out of anger and jealousy.
He noted they have since parted ways.
Cowzer has since improved his life, now being employed, in drug treatment, and in a committed relationship, and has not committed further offences.
He was sentenced to 15 months in custody.
The judge felt a custodial term was justified given Cowzer's behaviour.
