Cookstown man subjected partner to domestic abuse for a year

Patrick Francis Tierney, 36 Crossglebe, Cookstown also told Marzena Smiglin; “I am going to kill you and I am going to beat you”, during a sustained attack at her flat on February 7 last year.

Prosecutor Jonathan Lowry told the court that this was one of a series of attacks on the injured party that lasted for over a year in a period from February 1 2014 and February 7 last year.

Ms Smiglin needed surgery on her broken finger and also had three screws inserted into her finger as a result of the assault at her flat.

On another occasion on January 24 last year, Tierney punched his partner in the back and pushed her to the ground of her bathroom.

The court was told that some of the assaults had happened after the couple had been drinking in her flat.

Photographs of the injured party’s injuries were presented to Judge Paul Ramsey at the Crown Court.

The Prosecutor said the injuries had a severe psychological effect on the victim. She did not feel safe in her home, was afraid to go out and it had affected her confidence.

The defendant pleaded guilty to three charges of common assault against his victim on dates between February 1 2014 and February 7 2015.

He also admitted charges of causing grievous bodily harm to the victim on dates between June 30 2014 and August 1 2014.

The defendant pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm to the victim on January 24 2015 and threatening to kill her on February 7 2015.

Defence Counsel Mr Ford said his client had spent ten months in custody on this matter and was released on bail in December.

Since then he had wisely kept himself away from his ex partner’s home in Aughnacloy. His client was now in a new relationship and was being currently supported by his new partner who had been at earlier sittings.

His client was a father of five with another partner and there had been no difficulties in that relationship.

The Counsel said his client was prone to seizures that meant that he could not work, and also had issues with alcohol.

He had cut down on his alcohol consumption since his release on bail.

His client had made a real effort to engage with Probation since his release and once cycled for an appointment in torrential rain.

Judge Paul Ramsey said a Community Service Order was not an option in this case. The defendant had already served ten months and that might affect any subsequent sentence the court might impose. The judge said he was adjourning the case for sentence until May 13.