Dungannon father gets suspended jail sentence for punching wife in the eye

Dilevka Aivars, 37, from Drumflugh Road, appeared at Dungannon Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

The court heard how on June 5, police arrested Aivars after he confessed to hitting his wife in the eye while drunk at a house party.

At the time, neither he nor his wife would explain the reason behind the attack.

He claimed that it was the first time he had attacked her in their five years of marriage.

Defence solicitor Jarlath Faloon said his client was hoping to return to the matrimonial home by the end of September, and that he was anxious about going to jail.

Judge John Meehan pointed out that the probation report indicated that Aivars showed a lack of remorse, and thus a probation order would have no effect on him.

He accused Aivars of showing resistance to changing his behaviour and drew attention to his criminal record with a suspended prison sentence for driving with no insurance, and a conviction for drink-drving in 2008. He described the attack as ‘alarming’.

The court heard how the attack took place in front of their two children, aged 3 and 7.

“This was a strong punch and not a slap as you claim”, said the judge. He went on to remonstrate Aivars for exposing his two children, now on the child protetion list, to the domestic violence.