*Photograph: John Mangan
A MAN accused of holding a Clare woman against her will for four hours has pleaded guilty to her false imprisonment.
In the case, the 37 year old man allegedly held the woman against her will at his home last November where she was forced to listen to the man inform her ex-partner over the phone that she had an affair with another man towards the end of their relationship.
At Ennis District Court, the accused formally signed a plea of guilty to the false imprisonment of the woman at his Co Clare home on November 9th contrary to Section 15 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
The accused also entered a signed guilty plea to the possession of a kitchen knife contrary to the Section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.
Solicitor, Daragh Hassett for the accused said that his client was entering the signed guilty pleas on the basis that other charges against his client are dropped.
Mr Hassett said that his client very much contests one particular charge and “would defend to the end”.
The two charges concern the man being charged with the sexual assault of the woman and threatening to kill her on the same date.
Signalling that the two charges will be struck out after the accused affirms his guilty plea to false imprisonment at Ennis Circuit Court next month, Sgt Aiden Lonergan said that those cases can be adjourned to a date in April to the district court when the appropriate orders can be made.
The man is currently on remand in custody after failing to secure bail.
At a bail hearing last November, Det Garda Donal Corkery told Kilrush District Court that on November 9th last, the woman sat on a chair in the house for the majority of the time and due to the aggressive nature and tone of the accused “she was in constant fear of her own safety and frozen to the chair”.
Det Corkery said that the man was consuming vodka and cocaine and had told another person that he had used €700 to €800 worth of cocaine in the days leading up to the incident.
The woman and the man had been in a relationship and in the days prior to the alleged false imprisonment, Det Corkery said that the man had been following her, messaging her to meet up to discuss their relationship.
Det Corkery said at 9pm on the night, the accused phoned the woman’s ex-partner and put the mobile phone on speaker.
Det Corkery said that the accused then disclosed to the woman’s ex-partner that he was in a relationship with the alleged injured party and that she also had an affair during the relationship with her ex-partner.
The detective said that the call lasted 15 minutes and during the conversation, the woman’s ex-partner wished his ex happiness and all he wanted was good for her and if they were happy he would not stand in their way.
The detective said that the alleged injured party got her phone back and after several failed attempts finally managed to get in touch with a friend at 10.55pm and at 11.15pm her friend collected her.
