Ireland Case No. 3778Child cruelty, assault causing harm · Co. Dublin
Man sentenced to 20 months for slapping son over toileting issues
A 45-year-old man was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for child cruelty and assault causing harm after slapping his then-eight-year-old son over toileting issues. He pleaded guilty in June 2018 and had self-reported the incident to his son's teacher.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced19 Feb
2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports36 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe man and his first partner had been in a relationship for several years and had two young children together. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe first partner obtained a protection order in the weeks before the May 2021 incident, which had been served on the man. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOn May 26, 2021, the first partner received multiple calls from a private number, and the man threatened to petrol bomb her home and wait outside with a shotgun. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOn August 27, 2024, the second victim went to bed beside one of her children and was three months pregnant at the time. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatWhen gardai arrived, the woman had bruising to her eye and red marks on her arm. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe man was in the sitting room having been on a five-day drugs bender and may have continued to consume drugs. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe man dragged the woman out of bed by her hair, kicked and punched her, and told her he was going to kill her stone dead. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe kicked her in the stomach while she screamed for help, and he knew she was pregnant. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe threw her keys out of a window and threw her phone against a wall. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatWhen a friend arrived, the man said he would stick a knife in whoever came to the door and would stab the victim's family and friends. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatWhen the woman's mother and family arrived, he called her mother names and said he was going to kill them all. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe man slapped his eight-year-old son over toileting issues (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe told the teacher the boy was soiling towels and clothes with faeces and hid them around the house (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe smacked the boy on the buttocks and the upper thighs (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe boy said his father dragged him into the bathroom and slapped him (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe guilty plea was entered in June 2018 (irishtimes.com)
- whenA social care leader spoke to the man after he self-reported the incident in December 2019 (irishtimes.com)
- whenIn April 2024 the boy said he wanted to provide a statement (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardai arrested the man after he finished a residential drugs treatment course in September 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHe was arrested later that morning and was initially deemed unfit for questioning for a period. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationTusla had no record of the self-reported incident (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm of his then-partner and making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to her in August 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to another partner in May 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe pleaded guilty to child cruelty and assault causing harm (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe child's victim impact statement was read to the court by an investigating garda (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was handed a global sentence of six years, with the final 18 months suspended. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe judge imposed a sentence of two years and four months with the final eight months suspended on strict conditions including 12 months of Probation Services supervision post release (irishtimes.com)
- otherFour of his previous convictions relate to the first victim and include two breaches of a protection order, criminal damage and assault. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe spent two months in custody before getting bail, which he surrendered in September 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe baby was born healthy and is thriving. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe man was on bail for making threats to his first partner at the time of the second offence. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe judge noted this was a once-off incident which the man self-reported (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe boy said he was experiencing anxiety (irishtimes.com)
- otherIt took a number of days for the bruising to heal (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe boy has only seen his father twice since June 2018 (irishtimes.com)
- otherWhen arrested, the man admitted spanking the child with an open hand (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 19 Feb2026Man who slapped son over toileting issues sentenced to 20 months in prison
Sentencing report: Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin imposed two years and four months with the final eight months suspended on strict conditions including 12 months of Probation Services supervision. The man self-reported the incident; the boy's victim impact statement was read in court by an investigating garda.
convicted, 45, malevictim, 8, male - 19 Feb2026Man who attacked pregnant partner previously threatened to petrol bomb ex's home
Sentencing report from Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 18 February 2026. Details the two offences, the man's history with both victims, his addiction and mental health issues, and the judge's reasoning for the sentence.
suspect, 25, male, irish (judged from name)victim, femalevictim, female