Latest news with #PhilipO'Leary
Irish Examiner
29-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Judge to consider prison sentence for Cork man who tried to choke his wife
A woman tearfully described on Thursday how her husband tried to choke her in the family home and made highly personally insults to her. Judge Philip O'Leary said that after hearing of one incident when the woman was in fear the day after she was granted a protection order, he might have dealt with the matter under the Probation Act, but he said it was made much more serious by this second incident where the man assaulted his wife. 'This second matter may merit a prison sentence. I will put it back for a probation report and maybe an assessment for his suitability for a community service order,' Judge O'Leary said. The judge told the defendant's solicitor Pat Mullins that he should impress on the 37-year-old man the seriousness of the situation and the importance of co-operating with the probation service. The two cases against the same defendant were heard at an in-camera hearing of Cork District Court to deal with matters under the Domestic Violence Act. Two incidents Garda Clare Sheehan agreed under cross-examination that the first incident on September 10, 2024, was verbal but that it was serious enough that the complainant felt it necessary to lock herself into her bedroom. The victim said that her husband reacted when he became aware that she had obtained a protection order, saying: 'How dare you take out a protection order… My life is over. So is yours. You are a whore.' He denied saying this and said that his wife had anger management issues and that he had a protection order against her too. Garda David Ahern said of the second more recent incident that he responded to a 999 call about an alleged breach of a protection order. The injured party said that after an argument: 'He grabbed my neck and tried to choke me. He pushed me and I hit my head on the radiator. He sat on to me and said something really bad about my private area.' The defendant denied all of this and said she was the one who slapped him in the face and that previously he was hospitalised after an incident at home. He said of her evidence: 'It is all a fabricated story. It is all made up. It is not genuine.' Judge O'Leary convicted him on both breaches of the protection order. Sentencing was adjourned until September 11 to allow time for a probation report.
Irish Examiner
29-04-2025
- Irish Examiner
Woman stole bank card from American tourist visiting Cork and went on pub crawl around city
A Northern Irish woman stole a purse from an American tourist visiting Cork and used her bank card to buy food and drink on a pub crawl through the city prompting the judge to remark 'she almost left a trail of breadcrumbs behind her.' Judge Philip O'Leary sentenced the accused to a total of five months in prison in respect of multiple charges to which she pleaded guilty. 56-year-old Michelle Dillon, of Glenview House, Lisburn Road, Belfast, had some difficulties in her life and travelled to Cork for a break, but ran out of money during her visit. Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor, said after stealing the purse at Da Mirco restaurant on Bridge Street, Ms Dillon could be tracked by the use of the bank card from there through other premises in Cork City. At that point in the case, Judge Philip O'Leary said 'she almost left a trail of breadcrumbs behind her'. Mr Kelleher accepted the theft of the purse belonging to the American visitor was not a nice experience for this woman. The solicitor said: 'Through very good police work, she was met at Cork Simon Community. She was so drunk the interview had to be postponed until the following morning. She pleading guilty to all these matters at the earliest opportunity. 'She has a lot of difficulties, including a very bad alcohol problem. She is from North of Ireland and decided to visit Cork because her late father from Wexford used to bring them to Cork as children. It was a trip down memory lane. 'But she ran out of money, she took the items and effectively went on a pub crawl of the local vicinity.' Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the offending commenced on Bridge Street and continued at a number of venues in the city, where food and drink was paid for with the stolen card. The locations for the thefts in this manner included Da Mirco restaurant, Maldron Hotel, The Poor Relation on Parnell Place and El Fenix on Union Quay. Mr Kelleher said: 'When she was sober, she woke up to what she had done. She had a traumatic life herself and has medical difficulties. She has been out of trouble since 2009 but had this lapse. When she was caught, she ensured the tourist got her belongings back.'
