Sentences for coercive control 'must reflect seriousness' of crime
SENTENCES FOR PEOPLE convicted of coercive control must reflect the seriousness of the crime, the National Women's Council of Ireland has said.
The remarks from the women's organisation come after a man
was given a wholly suspended sentence after pleading guilty to a campaign of abuse and coercive control against in wife in Dublin between 2019 and 2022
.
Mr Justice Martin Nolan said last week that 44-year-old Ian Barry's actions towards his wife were 'disgraceful' before suspending his three-year sentence in full, under strict conditions.
Coercive control was criminalised in Ireland in 2018. It is when someone 'knowingly and persistently' engages in behaviour that is controlling and coercive and has a serious effect on a person.
Ivanna Youtchak, the violence against women coordinator at the women's council, said the serious and complex crime typically includes multiple forms of abuse including, emotional, financial, psychological and physical abuse.
Dublin's Circuit Criminal Court heard that Barry was verbally abusive to his wife, calling her names including 'Adolf' and a 'liar'.
The couple were married for 17 years. The victim told gardaí in late 2022 that the behaviour began towards the end of the relationship.
Barry subjected his wife to physical violence by throwing objects at her and exerted full financial control over her, forcing her to account for every penny spent and checked shopping bags and receipts, the court heard.
Following the end of the relationship in 2022, the court heard that Barry continued to use a Ring doorbell camera to monitor the house, accessing it 32 times in one day before it was removed.
Barry would be verbally abusive in some situations, including if he wasn't happy with meals or considered the house untidy.
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Judge Nolan heard that Barry kicked the dishwasher if it was not empty, and threw meals on the floor or in the bin if he wasn't pleased with them.
'You have a lot to make up for,' Judge Nolan told the man, adding that if he is to harass or make the victim miserable again that he would be back in court 'and you won't escape that time'.
Youtchak said coercive control is a serious crime that often has 'devastating long term impacts for women and children'.
She said it was crucial that coercive control sentencing reflects the serious nature of the crimes, she added.
'As more and more cases of coercive control come before the courts, there is a need to ensure initial and ongoing quality training on domestic abuse including coercive control for legal professionals in the criminal justice systems.'
In March, the Garda Inspectorate Report said that 90% of front-line gardaí, who are often the first to respond to domestic abuse incidents, underwent specific training for coercive control last year.
Incidents of coercive control have come before the courts on a number of occasions so far this year, including one case where a man was jailed for six-and-a-half years after he made threatening remarks to his partner.
In the case of Ian Barry, his solicitor put to garda detectives that he had indicated an early guilty plea, cooperated with the investigation and appeared voluntarily at a station in Dublin for his first interview.
During that interview, he told investigating gardaí that he was 'not a perfect husband' but that he 'hadn't done anything to warrant being in a garda station'. He described the incidents outlined in court as 'accidents'.
Barry also called himself the 'victim' who was 'being provoked'. His solicitor later indicated to the court that the software engineer was in serious debt at the time and felt remorse, shame and accepted responsibility for his actions towards his wife.
He did not recognise his actions at the time as coercive control, but now realises his behaviour was 'intolerable', counsel said.
If you have been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, you can reach out for support through the following helplines. These organisations also put people in touch with long-term supports:
Women's Aid's 24-hour National Freephone Helpline:
1800 341 900
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