Woman secures court order against partner who threatened to post intimate photographs

A young woman who told a court her former partner was a “psychopath” who threatened to share intimate images of her online has secured a protection order against him.

The woman told Dublin District Family Court that she and the man were in a relationship for a number of years but broke up over recent months.

In a sworn statement to the court, the woman said her former partner was “very abusive” while they were together. Since they had broken up the man had been “non-stop harassing me with phone calls ... threatening to post my nude photographs and said he is going to kill me”.

The woman said she was “on eggshells” every single day “to the point I barely go out of the house as I know he will kill me”.

“He’s tried doing it in the past and I’m afraid for my life,” she said. “I’ve had to reach out to my GP to go on medication for my nerves as I cannot settle at all.”

The woman said she just wanted to close that chapter of her life and move on, and for her former partner to accept the relationship was over.

“I have to go to therapy because of the trauma I have been through,” she added.

On Friday, Judge Gerard Furlong granted the woman a protection order on an ex parte basis, where only one side is represented. The order states the man is not to threaten or use violence, put the woman in fear through his words, deeds or actions and is not to stalk or watch where she lives.

The judge also told the woman that threats the man had made towards her, as well as threatening to share intimate images, were crimes that could be reported to An Garda Síochána.

A full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, was set for a later date.

In a separate case, an elderly woman secured an interim barring order against her son.

In a sworn statement to the court, the woman said her son, who was living in her home, drinks and takes drugs. She said she cannot take his “mental abuse” any more.

“There is terrible verbal abuse every day and I’m living in fear,” she said. The woman said her other children and grandchildren do not visit her due to his behaviour.

The woman said her son had been taking drugs since he was a teenager and has his own property.

The court heard the woman previously secured a protection order against her son but said she withdrew the application as he gave an undertaking to get help for his addiction and be kind to her but had not done so.

Furlong said he would grant the woman an interim barring order on an ex parte basis, which excludes her son from her home for eight days.

The judge said gardaí would serve the man with the order and the woman could ask them to ensure he gives back his key to her home.

A full hearing, which the woman’s son is expected to attend, was set for early next month.

Furlong told the woman that she had given her son “chances before” and that she would have the opportunity to seek a three-year barring order at the full hearing.

“You’re going to have the house to yourself now, the gardaí will be putting him out,” the judge said. “If he appears just call the gardaí ... He is not to contact you or try to influence you at all.”