A HUSBAND told a court that his wife was having an affair with another man, humiliates and intimidates him, and called him “Larry Murphy” after he had his hood up while cutting the grass at home.
At the Family Law Court, the man alleged that his wife is having an affair and recently returned from a secret holiday with the other man.
Solicitor for the woman, Mairead Doyle, told the court that her client denies that she is having an affair and that she went on a secret holiday with the other person.
In court, the husband said that, in one incident, “her partner prevented me from going into my own home and assaulted me, and that is the reason I phoned the Gardaí”.
Ms Doyle disputed the man’s statement, adding that “I have judicial separation proceedings ready to issue”.
Ms Doyle said that the marriage between the two has broken down but they continue to live together with their children at the family home.
The husband told the court that, since the incident with his wife’s partner, “there have been attempts to humiliate me and intimidate me, bringing that person around the house doing jobs I would normally do”.
“I am afraid. I have to lock myself into my room,” he said.
“I have respectfully requested that she not bring him around the house when I am not there. I don’t think that is unreasonable.”
The man further alleged that “there is continuous drinking by her three to four times a week”.
“In one instance, when she had a bottle of wine drank, she threatened me saying that I ‘better sleep with one eye open’ because of my refusal to go to the off licence for another bottle of wine. This was in front of the children.”
Judge Marie Keane asked the man if he had reported this to the Child and Family Agency (CFA), adding that if these concerns are being raised in relation to children, they need to be relayed to the CFA.
Outlining alleged incidents of verbal abuse by his wife, the man said: “After I cut the lawn and I come in with the hood up, she calls me Larry Murphy. She says I am useless around the house.”
He told Judge Keane that he is the main carer for the children. He said: “I am always at home. Every morning I make their breakfast, get them dressed.”
Judge Keane commented that “clearly there is a breakdown of marriage and tensions surrounding that”.
The man told the court that the evidence put forward by his wife in obtaining a Protection Order against him “is full of lies”.
Judge Keane adjourned the hearing of the safety Order applications by husband and wife to January.
She said: “It is essential both parties are respectful to one another pending the outcome of the matter.”
Judge Keane said that the woman’s Protection Order is to remain in place pending the January court date and directed the man to make contact with the CFA over his concerns. The wife was not in court for the brief hearing into the case opting to remain outside the courtroom.
