Tipperary judge told there is no domestic violence refuge in the Nenagh area

The absence of a refuge for women and children escaping domestic violence in one north Tipperary town was highlighted during a case at Nenagh District Court.

The issue came to light when Judge Alan Mitchell asked if a women’s shelter existed in Nenagh.

However, Sgt Regina McCarthy informed him that none existed.

The comments were made by her when asked by the judge if there was any shelter locally where a sum being paid over by a defendant who breached a barring order could be paid.

Before the court was a 29-year-old man who breached an interim barring order by arriving at a house occupied by a female in Nenagh on March 10, 2021. The injured party had since withdrawn her complaint against him, Sgt McCarthy revealed.

She said gardaí had received a report that the defendant had entered the house. He was subsequently arrested under the Domestic Violence Act.

Sgt McCarthy said the defendant was also before the court for an unrelated event, after he was found asleep on a green in Yewston, Nenagh, on January 2, 2019. He was arrested for being highly intoxicated on the date.

The court heard that the defendant had a total of 71 previous convictions and had a number of suspended sentences hanging over him.

Defending solicitor Mariea Flanagan said her client was trying to get his life back together following a serious assault that left him hospitalised and having to get staples inserted in his brain.

The injuries he sustained had a very serious impact on him and he now suffered from short-term memory loss.

Ms Flanagan said the defendant had given her €150 to make retribution.

When the judge said he expected more to be paid, Ms Flanagan said her client had “very limited resources”.

After hearing there was no shelter for women fleeing domestic violence in Nenagh, the judge ordered the money be paid to Adapt Domestic Abuse Services in Limerick, which, Sgt McCarthy said, provides a shelter for many local women.

The judge then struck out the charges against the defendant.