Took his partner's phone and sent intimate images to her family - claim

A man took his partner’s phone and sent intimate images from it to her family, it was alleged at Naas District Court.

The court was told that the pair have a child together who was born when the girl was aged under 17 years.

Referring to the incident Inspector Ronan McDonald said the man approached her in an aggressive manner, took her phone and she fell and received an injury.

A number of explicit messages and images were sent to her family - but he said she wished to withdraw the complaint against him.

The young woman said she made a statement and the claims made were true but she wanted to withdraw them because he is the child’s father and she wants him to continue to see the child.

When Judge Zaidan was told that the girl was a teen when the child was born  he said that technically this amounts to rape in Irish law and he urged her to get help and counselling given her age.

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The judge pointed out that the child will be able to access the images posted by the father in the future “because they’re on the internet.”

Referring to the woman’s wish to withdraw the statement, the judge said he had no doubt she is under “undue pressure.”

He commented that the injured party has barely had a childhood.

The judge also said the injured party is just a witness in the case and he said the Director of Public Prosecutions could use circumstantial evidence in the case.

Defending solicitor Tim Kennelly said the man does not accept what the State “purports to be the facts.”