'Mammy fell on daddy's fist many times': man's 'chilling' comments to son after beating partner

A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for assaulting his partner at their Co Leitrim home on 5 July 2020. The man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. He was acquitted of two counts of rape following trial. During sentencing, the court heard that after the assault, the man told his ten-year-old son "Mammy fell on daddy's fist many times" when the child asked about his mother's injuries. The investigating garda described this comment as deeply disturbing. The woman sustained serious injuries including a fractured nose, head injury, and facial bruising. She told gardaí she was repeatedly choked during the assault and feared for her life. The man has 29 previous convictions. Justice Karen O'Connor noted the violation occurred in what should have been a safe home environment, with aggravating factors including the child's presence in the house and the false explanation given to him. The sentence has been backdated to July 2020 when the man entered custody.