Courts / Dublin / Report
No jail for man who drove ex-girlfriend to secluded spot, attacked and threatened to kill her
Summary
Ian Kelly, a 26‑year‑old apprentice electrician, was given a suspended two‑year prison sentence for assaulting his ex‑girlfriend. He drove her to a secluded spot, repeatedly punched her in the face, head and stomach, bit her hand when she tried to retrieve her phone, and threatened to drive her into the Dublin mountains and kill her, saying she would never see her child again. Kelly has ten prior convictions, including a suspended sentence for a previous assault and a failure to report a hit‑and‑run involving a minor. He was convicted of assault causing harm on 7 May 2015. The judge noted the harm inflicted and Kelly's positive features, such as his apprenticeship and youth football coaching, and suspended the sentence. The victim reported lasting emotional trauma and fear for her safety.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: No jail for man who drove ex-girlfriend to secluded spot, attacked and threatened to kill her. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- May 7, 2015 Incident
- 2017-12-18 Publication
Why: He said he would suspend the sentence because "there are positive features which would be utterly at risk, and to no great benefit to society, if he was sentenced to jail". CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Outcome: Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the hurt and damage done to the victim and said that the appropriate sentence was two years imprisonment.
Places mentioned
- Turvey Avenue
- Dublin
- Central Criminal Court
- Phoenix park
Topics
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