Man jailed for attacking girlfriend after she refused to drive him to pick up drugs

A man who attacked his girlfriend when she refused to drive him to pick up drugs has been jailed for three years.

Harry Turner (26) also caused trouble for the gardaí when they arrived at the scene after his mother alerted them to the incident. He lit and threw fireworks at gardaí from the house, causing officers to call for assistance.

Turner of Coolmine Lodge, Grove Road, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm, production of a knife and letting off fireworks on October 10, 2020.

Emmet Nolan BL, prosecuting, told Judge Martin Nolan that the case needed to be considered under the Domestic Violence Act 2018 as the woman and Turner were in a relationship at the time.

The court heard that Turner was living with the woman at the time. She had previously asked him to leave because of his addiction issues but he was back in her home that night.

A dispute arose between the couple, after they spent the evening drinking together, when the woman decided she wanted to go to bed and Turner said he wanted to get a bag of cocaine. He kept pestering the woman for her phone and ultimately used her phone to set up a deal.

The woman refused to drive him or provide him with money for the deal and Turner became aggressive. She text a friend of Turner’s telling him that she was concerned about his behaviour and the friend said he would contact Turner’s mother.

The woman told Turner that his friend and his mother were on their way and Turner retrieved a knife from the kitchen threatening to butcher his friend. He also threatened to smash the woman’s phone and iPad when she refused to give him the passcode.

Turner then locked himself and the woman out of the house and refused to let her back in. She ran off to try and find his mother and friend but he caught up with her and dragged her back to the house by the hair. She screamed out for help asking for someone to call the gardaí.

Turner continued to drag the woman bashing her head against the side of her car and then pinning her against it, demanding that she drive him to collect the drugs.

He then opened up the house and dragged her in by the hair where he again pushed her. She tried to run for the front door but he grabbed her again and threw her against the stairs.

Turner’s mother then arrived at the house. She was banging on the doors and windows but Turner refused to let the woman out. His mother then called the gardaí.

The gardaí arrived at the scene but Turner caused difficulty and threw the fireworks at him. He ultimately surrendered himself and walked out peacefully.

Mr Nolan confirmed that there was no victim impact statement before the court.

He said Turner was arrested but was considered unfit to be interviewed for six hours because of his level of intoxication.

John Moher BL, defending, said his client had difficulties with drink and drugs. He asked the court to accept that the production of the knife was in relation to threatening the friend who was expected to arrive and was not used during the assault.

Judge Nolan said Turner wanted drugs and when the woman wouldn’t co-operate, he became irate and assaulted her.

“It was a litany of bad and violent behaviour,” the judge said before he accepted that Turner was under the influence of intoxicants and has since indicated his remorse through his plea of guilty.

He said it must have been a very frightening situation for the woman before he jailed Turner for three years.

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