Waterford man ordered to pay €4,000 to ex-partner for shoving her through a glass door
The case was heard at Waterford Circuit Court.
A Waterford man has been ordered to pay €4,000 in compensation to his ex-partner for shoving her through a glass door.
Garda AnnMarie Hennessy told Waterford District Court that on December 23, 2021, the injured party gave a statement that during an argument and while parked at a garage, her partner, Brandon Power (31) of 89 Central Avenue, Lisduggan, punched a windscreen, causing it to crack.
Later, the injured party reported that the defendant had assaulted her during a row earlier in the day.
During the dispute, the defendant kicked a glass door.
When the injured party tried to get away, he caught her by the jacket and shoved her into the broken door.
The court was told that she sustained injuries to her hands as a result of the assault.
In a separate, unrelated incident with a second injured party, on March 22, 2022, the defendant headbutted a car windscreen on Canada Street and broke it.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges of assault and criminal damage.
His ex-partner provided a victim impact statement to the judge, and while it was not read allowed in court, Judge John Cheatle said he had taken its contents “on board.”
Acting for the defendant, solicitor Ken Cunningham said that while he did not want to minimise his client's actions, he and the first injured party were in a “toxic relationship” and “not suited” to one another and, he said, both had been drinking.
He said his client had no previous convictions and “both parties had moved on”.
Mr Cunningham said that they accepted the assault had a “profound impact but was not intended” and handed in a letter of apology as well as testimonials to the court.
“The accident should never have happened, and he accepts responsibility,” said Mr Cunningham.
The court was told that the incident happened more than four years ago and since then, Mr Power underwent a “period of reflection”.
Mr Cunningham told the court that his client is a “stable and focused individual” in college and about to start a small business.
But he said that was “not to say [the injured party] should be forgotten,” and the defendant had raised compensation in the amount of €4,000, as well as €500 for the second injured party.
Judge Cheatle made both compensation orders in respect of the assault and criminal damage.
