Criminal damage Man with ‘temper issues’ smashed ex’s front door, court hears

A MAN who smashed his ex’s front door with a slate had “issues with his temper,” a court heard.

Patrick Newman’s former partner was at home alone when she heard breaking glass and came out to find him standing at her shattered door with a slate in his hand.

Judge Treasa Kelly put him on a peace bond for a year and warned him that he needed to control his temper.

Newman (68), with an address at Shanowen Avenue, Santry pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the woman’s door in the incident.

Dublin District Court heard the victim was alone in her home at Belclare Terrace, Ballymun at 7.30pm on April 13 last year when she heard a knock on the door.

It was the accused, her ex-partner, and when she went to answer the door, she heard a loud smash and went to see the front door “completely smashed”, a garda sergeant told the court.

The accused was there with a slate in his hand.

The court heard the value of the damage was €400 and Newman had paid for the cost of the repairs “in the immediate aftermath” of the incident – the next day.

The accused had 24 previous convictions for offences including assault, the court heard.

Newman was a man approaching the end of middle age who had a “long and difficult history with alcohol”, his solicitor Robert Purcell said.

“He has issues with his temper as well,” he added.

The accused was no longer in a relationship with the victim and he had made good the damage the day after the incident, Mr Purcell said.

Although Newman had previous convictions, he managed to stay out of trouble for long periods of time, the court heard.

Judge Kelly put the accused on a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 12 months.

She acknowledged the accused had paid for the damage and said “you must control your temper obviously.”

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Online Editors