By Ronan Judge

A 43-year-old man has pleaded guilty to coercive control and threats to kill or cause serious harm to his former partner in East Galway.

The man was arraigned at Galway Circuit Court, where he entered guilty pleas to four offences against the woman on dates in 2022.

The man admitted two charges of assault causing harm contrary to section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against The Person act, committed at an address in East Galway on June 17 and July 9, 2022.

He also admitted one count of threat to kill or cause serious harm to the same victim at the same address on April 23, 2022.

The man pleaded guilty to an offence of coercive control, contrary to section 39 of the Domestic Violence Act.

That offence was committed on dates between April 1 and July 9, 2022.

Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Brendan McDonagh BL, told the court the victim was in court accompanied by a support worker.

Judge Brian O’Callaghan told the woman she was most welcome to court and said “well done”.

He said she had come to the court an alleged victim but would leave a victim and survivor.

Judge O’Callaghan told the woman he hoped she could have a good Christmas and she replied, “I’ll try”.

Defence barrister, Brendan Browne BL, told the court his client now resided in another county and asked that bail conditions be amended to allow him sign on at a Garda station in that area.

Judge O’Callaghan said that normally, given the seriousness of the offences, the man would be remanded in custody prior to sentencing.

However, he said the court could not ignore the fact that Castlrea Prison was operating at 126% capacity.

Mr McDonagh told the court he had not been instructed to seek a remand in custody.

Judge O’Callaghan said the man had previously failed to appear in court, leading to the issuing of a bench warrant and he told the man that he must continue to abide by all bail conditions.

Mr Browne sought a report from the probation services and said his client had a previous conviction for assault causing harm that did not relate to the victim in the current case.

Counsel said the court would also hear that as part of the factual matrix of this case, there was a psychological background and issues of alcohol misuse.

Counsel said he had also been instructed to issue an “unequivocal apology” to the victim.

Adjourning the case to July 23, 2026, for sentencing, Judge O’Callaghan said the court noted the apology and also that it was a “very late apology”.

The case is subject to reporting restrictions.

■ Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.