Latest news with #FamilyLawCourt
BreakingNews.ie
01-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
'I am a man, this is embarrassing': Man weeps as he tells court his wife hit him
A man wept in the witness box and said, 'I am a man - this is embarrassing' after disclosing that his wife hit him at home. At the Family Law Court, the man was giving evidence as part of an ex-parte application to obtain a domestic violence Protection Order against his wife. Advertisement He said that his partner struck him while he was in bed and also engages in name-calling. Judge Alec Gabbett said that the man's wife had got a domestic violence order against him before. Judge Gabbett said that he was granting the man the Protection Order commenting that 'the violence is concerning'. After seeing the man weep in the witness box, Judge Gabbett said to him: 'This is very normal. It is very stressful to you, and this is a stressful situation.' Advertisement The man said: 'I am no father of the year, I am no husband of the year. I raise my voice and she classes it as domestic abuse.' Judge Gabbett asked 'why are you frightened of her?' and the man replied: 'It is the name calling.' He also alleged that the woman sporadically hits their children. He said: 'She hits them with a belt.' He said: 'Once or twice it has happened. She shows her shoe-" and Judge Gabbett said 'and they are gone'. Advertisement The man said his wife has taken herself and their children to a refuge, and Judge Gabbett said that he expected her to also to come to the district court for an application for her own Protection Order. The man said that his children 'have no business in a refuge when they have a home'. On his application, he said: 'I don't want to do this. I really don't, and if I don't, I am leaving myself open.' The other four applicants for Protection Orders before the court were all females, and Judge Gabbett granted the orders. Advertisement In one case, a woman said that her now ex-partner tried to break her teeth while the two were on holiday, stating 'he tried to take them out'. Judge Gabbett said: 'He is just jealous of your teeth? Clearly, that was very frightening.' Ireland Spanish tourist raped in Dublin city centre says s... Read More The woman said that her ex has a criminal record and he has been in prison. In another case, an elderly mother in ill health secured a Protection Order against her son. She said that has called her 'an ungrateful, bitter, old hag'. The woman said that she locks herself bedroom door at night and Judge Gabbett asked her 'how are you going to deal with the next eruption?' Judge Gabbett said that he would issue a barring order summons where she can apply for a barring order against her son.
The Journal
17-05-2025
- General
- The Journal
Court orders girl will spend today with her mother ahead of her first Holy Communion
A PRIMARY SCHOOL student will spend this morning with her mother ahead of celebrating her first Holy Communion today. At the Family Law Court before making his ruling, Judge Alec Gabbett remarked 'it is the same ding-dong every year with the Sacraments'. The girl's parents are estranged and could not agree on First Holy Communion arrangements on Saturday for their daughter resulting in the two bringing their dispute before Judge Gabbett to rule upon. In ordering that the girl stay with her mother on Friday night to allow her to spend Saturday morning with her mother before the Holy Communion mass, Judge Gabbett said: 'At a very basic level, at a very human level, this is mother and daughter stuff.' He said: 'This is the girl's first Holy Communion morning and little girls should be with their mothers.' Judge Gabbett said that the proposal put forward by solicitor, Anne Walsh for the mother was 'extraordinarily sensible'. He said: 'It is one of the most reasonable proposals I have received in a long time to deal with a situation that is very acrimonious.' Ms Walsh said that her client's proposal, having discussed the matter with her daughter, is that she would spend the night at her home the night before and she had booked hairdressers for her daughter on the morning of the communion and the two would go there together. Ms Walsh said that the child was happy with the arrangement and that 'Mum takes her to the church – they sit with Dad and siblings in the same pew in the Church. They would take photographs after Church and my client would then head away.' Ms Walsh said that the girl would then spend the rest of the day with her father before returning to her client for a day out together on Sunday. Advertisement In response, solicitor, Mairead Doyle for the father said that he had spoken to his daughter and she had expressed a desire to spend the night before her Holy Communion with her siblings. Ms Doyle claimed that the mother's approach to the arrangements is 'if you don't do it my way' and that the child is under pressure 'and is caught in the middle of this'. Ms Walsh said that she wrote to the other side on 2 April following her client's conversation with her daughter about the day and did not receive a reply until May 14th. Judge Gabbett said that he did not have the wishes of the child in front of him and the father said that he could bring his daughter to court to tell the judge her own wishes for the day. In response, Ms Walsh said: 'If someone thinks that it is right to bring a child to court the day before her first Holy Communion that speaks volumes.' Judge Gabbett said: 'I am making the order – mum the night before.' Judge Gabbett said that 'Dad is getting the lion's share of the day – he is getting the party and the bouncy castle'. Judge Gabbett said that older siblings 'don't trump mother and daughter time on Holy Communion day'. He said: 'This should have been addressed a long time before today. I find that children are very robust and you will find that on the day of the Communion once the girl has opened her cards she will be delighted with herself and this will pass.' 'The only people who will be upset will be this former couple unfortunately and no judge is going to fix that. That is my order.' Judge Gabbett ordered as part of the court order that the girl would be handed over by the father to the mother at a local supermarket on Friday evening and after spending time with mother on Sunday would then return to father on Sunday evening.
Irish Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
'He's getting party & bouncy castle.' Judge intervenes in parents' communion row
A judge has ordered that a primary school-going girl spend the night before her first Holy Communion with her mother this weekend. At the Family Law Court before making his ruling, Judge Alec Gabbett remarked: 'It is the same ding-dong every year with the Sacraments.' The girl's parents are estranged and could not agree on First Holy Communion arrangements on Saturday for their daughter, resulting in the two bringing their dispute before Judge Gabbett to rule upon. In ordering that the girl stay with her mother on Friday night to allow her to spend Saturday morning with her mother before the Holy Communion mass, Judge Gabbett said: 'At a very basic level, at a very human level, this is mother and daughter stuff." He said: 'This is the girl's first Holy Communion morning and little girls should be with their mothers.' Judge Gabbett said that the proposal put forward by solicitor Anne Walsh for the mother was 'extraordinarily sensible'. He said: 'It is one of the most reasonable proposals I have received in a long time to deal with a situation that is very acrimonious.' Ms Walsh said that her client's proposal, having discussed the matter with her daughter, is that she would spend the night at her home the night before and she had booked hairdressers for her daughter on the morning of the communion and the two would go there together. Ms Walsh said that the child was happy with the arrangement and that 'Mum takes her to the church – they sit with Dad and siblings in the same pew in the Church. They would take photographs after Church and my client would then head away'. Ms Walsh said that the girl would then spend the rest of the day with Dad before returning to her client for a day out together on Sunday. In response, solicitor, Mairead Doyle for the father said that he had spoken to his daughter and she had expressed a desire to spend the night before her Holy Communion with her siblings. Ms Doyle claimed that the mother's approach to the arrangements is 'if you don't do it my way' and that the child is under pressure 'and is caught in the middle of this'. Ms Walsh said that she wrote to the other side on April 2 following her client's conversation with her daughter about the day and did not receive a reply until May 14. Judge Gabbett said that he did not have the wishes of the child in front of him and the father said that he could bring his daughter to court to tell the judge her own wishes for the day. In response, Ms Walsh said: 'If someone thinks that it is right to bring a child to court the day before her first Holy Communion, that speaks volumes.' Judge Gabbett said: 'I am making the order – mum the night before.' He added: 'Dad is getting the lion's share of the day – he is getting the party and the bouncy castle.' Judge Gabbett said that older siblings 'don't trump mother and daughter time on Holy Communion day'. He said: 'This should have been addressed a long time before today. I find that children are very robust and you will find that on the day of the Communion once the girl has opened her cards she will be delighted with herself and this will pass. 'The only people who will be upset will be this former couple unfortunately and no judge is going to fix that. That is my order.' Judge Gabbett ordered as part of the court order that the girl would be handed over by the father to the mother at a local supermarket on Friday evening and after spending time with mother on Sunday would then return to father on Sunday evening.
