A man who denied calling his former partner a “tramp” and making an offensive gesture at a food market has been convicted of breaching a safety order.
The 42-year-old man, with an address in Co Dublin, had pleaded not guilty but was convicted at Tallaght District Court of breaching a safety order on July 11, 2025.
The injured party, the man’s former partner with whom he has children, told the court that on July 11 she was having food at the market with her new partner and his family. She said there were “four or five” people present when the accused drove into the car park.
She said he drove through the one-way system, passed her and called her a “tramp” while giving her the middle finger.
When State solicitor Brian Coveney asked the victim how she felt, she told the court: “I felt shaken and I felt in fear, as I didn’t know how he knew where I was”.
During the victim’s evidence, Judge Áine Clancy told the accused, who was facing the witness box from the dock, to stop reacting: “I need to ask you to stop reacting when the witness is speaking. It’s difficult for everyone in court to be here,” the judge told him.
In his own evidence, the accused said he had gone to the area to buy an air-conditioning unit and had driven into the car park at the rear of the premises.
He said he recognised the woman’s car, turned around and left. He denied calling her a “tramp” or making any gesture.
“I didn’t stick my finger up at anybody. I don’t threaten anyone in any way,” he said, adding he had been “put through the mill” by the woman with what he described as false allegations.
He said he believed she would make a further allegation and that he was contacted by gardaí about an hour later.
Judge Clancy said she was persuaded by the woman’s evidence and found the accused’s account “very difficult to accept”.
Judge Clancy convicted the man and noted he was already serving a suspended sentence.
Defence counsel, Ciara Ní Ghabhann BL, said there was no physical violence and described the incident as being at the lower end. She added that the accused works part-time, has no addiction issues and is willing to engage with the MOVE programme.
The judge accepted the matter fell at the lower end but stressed all domestic violence is serious, before adjourning the case to May 21 for a community service suitability report and other matters.