A MOTHER-of-two who was savagely attacked by her drunken partner told a judge “there’s no justice” as her attacker was jailed for 18 months at Limerick Circuit Court last week.
Barry Fitzgerald (27) of Assumpta Park, Island Road, Limerick was sentenced to three years imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended for attacking the woman at their home in Corbally.
Judge Tom O’Donnell was told that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had a fractured cheekbone, two broken ribs and extensive bruising. The couple separated and their planned wedding was cancelled.
Garda Colum O’Shea said the woman and Fitzgerald were out celebrating with family members on St Stephen’s night in 2014 when one of the relatives was ejected from a bar over a row.
They returned to their Corbally home and, following a call from a concerned neighbour, Garda O’Shea went to the house where he saw the woman was distressed and had bruising under her eye.
She told gardai that she had been badly beaten in a prolonged attack.
When they arrived home, Fitzgerald began drinking again. He threw a can of cider at her and tossed the contents of her handbag on the floor. He then smashed her phone with his foot.
He struck her several times and ripped her clothes off. She was punched and kicked in the ribs and head before he dragged her into the bathroom and shoved her in the shower. He pulled down the curtain pole and kicked her on the legs.
In her victim impact statement, the young woman said that she thought Fitzgerald was going to kill her as threw her in to the shower covered her in shower gel before locking her in the bathroom and leaving her in the dark.
He returned a short time later and forced her to the bedroom. He called her “a tramp and whore” as he kicked and elbowed her. He said he would “fix her” and punched her to the ground.
The young mother said her life had totally changed and her confidence was “shattered”.
“I was incapable of caring for my children and I felt degraded. I felt shame and worthlessness for letting it happen.
“I’m worried for my safety. I had to move house but I still feel isolated and still suffer to this day.
Barry Fitzgerald said he had limited memory of the events because of the amount of alcohol he drank. He told Gardaí he was undergoing anger management classes and was “disgusted” at what he had done.
Describing it as a “sustained, savage and brutal assault on a defenceless female”, Judge O’Donnell said the level of violence was of serious concern. There were serious physical and psychological injuries and were it not for the intervention of Gardaí, “the situation could have been even been much worse”.
“The victim considers herself somewhat to blame for the attack but the reality is that there could be nothing further from the truth. She was faultless and did nothing wrong. Violence at this level and in this nature is completely unacceptable in a civilised society.
As he suspended half the three year prison sentence, the victim shouted “there’s no justice in this court” and left the courtroom.
Barry Fitzgerald was taken into custody to begin his 18 month sentence.
