A judge has granted an interim barring order (IBO) to a woman who has been effectively made a prisoner in her own home by her ‘controlling’ husband, a court has heard.
At the Family Law Court, Judge Alec Gabbett granted the Co Clare woman the IBO which now allows Gardai to remove her husband from the property pending a full hearing of the barring order case.
Judge Gabbett said that his concern is the ongoing psychological damage in the case.
He said: “She can’t get out the gate and she is locked in – that is the real problem.”
He said: “He doesn’t even let her talk to other people.”
In reply, solicitor, Ann Gillane, for the woman who was present in court – said: “He doesn’t even let her eat – he feeds her.”
Asked why by Judge Gabbett, Ms Gillane said: “I don’t know.”
After reading the woman’s statement outlining her grounds for the domestic violence order, Judge Gabbett said to her: “You are effectively a prisoner in your own house.”
Ms Gillane told the court that an initial Protection Order was served on the man last week following an application by his client.
She said: “I have serious concerns about my client’s welfare going back into that home with her husband because of her mental condition she doesn’t have the same level of concern.
Judge Gabbett said that the man appears to have features of paranoia by building high walls and gates thinking the world at large is against him and his wife “is very much the victim of that and I am very concerned about”.
Ms Gillane said that “this has been going on for years”.
She said that the man has excluded her client from her family. She said: “He has basically locked her family out. Her family are not allowed in. He has built high walls.”
Making the IBO application on an ex-parte basis where husband was not present, Ms Gillane said that the man has serious levels of paranoia and when driving on the motorway with his wife believes the Gardai and neighbours are after him.
She said: “He has followed a neighbour recently a number of miles away.” The woman said that her husband has given her the keys of the gate.
Judge Gabbett said that the most telling passage of the woman’s statement seeking the IBO reads “he is an impossible man to deal with – I cannot stand up to this man. I am in fear of him when he is confronted with anything i want
“I just sit there and say nothing for a peaceful, quiet life. He has threatened to burn the house down if I ever put him out of the house again.”
“I got him out of the house a few years ago – I know he should not be at large because he is a danger to society. I don’t feel safe in the house with him because he has full control.
“I cannot phone the Gardai because he will ask who I was speaking with. There is an immediate risk of harm to me.”
Judge Gabbett noted that there are no allegations of physical abuse by the man.
Judge Gabbett said that when Gardai are going to the home to serve the IBO “I wouldn’t be going out with man and his dog, I would be going out with some help”.
