Man's alleged assault against partner disputed in Waterford court
The complainant was invited to speak from the witness box during last week’s court hearing in Waterford District Court.
A 47-year-old man appeared in court last week alongside his partner in connection with allegations of assault against her.
The defendant is Dylan Heywood Jones, of 327 Railway Square, Manor Street.
It was alleged by Mr Heywood's partner, in a statement to gardaí, that the incident occurred at approximately 1:45am on September 27, 2025.
The complainant said she was in a bedroom with the door locked when Heywood Jones entered the scene. She said that he was drunk and broke down the door.
It was alleged that he then approached the complainant and placed a pliers to her throat and threatened to cut her face.
The man was charged with assault causing harm, production of an article and damaging property.
After the incident, the complainant provided a statement to gardaí, which she now disputes.
She contacted gardaí three days after the alleged incident to say she was not mentally or physically fit to make the statement on the night. She asked that all charges against the man be formally withdrawn.
The complainant was invited to speak from the witness box during last week’s court hearing in Waterford District Court.
She said she was "not in any fit way to give a declaration" to gardaí on the night.
Judge John Cheatle asked her if she felt in any way pressured to revoke the charges against the man.
She said she feels safe and that she has been in a relationship with the man for 16 years.
The man’s defence solicitor, Kenneth Cunningham, said that situations such as these “cause major issues for defence practitioners”.
He said that his client has been forced into a guilty plea, because the alternative is to have the matter rise up the court system into the Circuit Court, where the woman’s original statement to gardaí could be used as evidence despite her opting to now dispute this statement.
Judge Cheatle made the decision to have the matter reraised in Waterford District Court in September.
If the man comes to no further adverse garda attention before then all charges will be struck out.
