‘How long have you been beating your wife?' solr asks in Headford assault case

 'HOW long have you been beating your wife,' was the first question put to a witness who brought an assault charge against his brother-in-law, when the case came before Judge Geoffrey Browne at Tuam District Court. The Judge also heard claims that two men sat on their victim's bed and discussed whether to put him in a septic tank or cut off his balls and let him bleed to death. The victim told the Court he felt his life was in danger. Sean Farrell, Liss, Headford complained that his brother-in-law, Joe Langan, Cloonkeady, Headford and another man, came to his home on Oct 5, 2010 in the early hours of the morning and seriously assaulted him. He said Langan and his accomplice, John Darcy, entered his bedroom and took turns punching him in the face and head. His brother-in-law wanted him out of his house and threatened he would kill him if he didn't leave.[private] Five brothers Farrell said his wife's five brothers visited him at home on an earlier date and also demanded he vacate the family home. On the night of October 5 Farrell said he was home recovering from a head injury he received playing football. He was in bed at approximately 2.15 am when Langan and Darcy entered his home. Langan took his two phones and smashed them against the wall telling him 'you won't be calling the Gardai tonight'. After taking turns punching him they rested on the foot of his bed and smoked cigarettes. The witness said he was in fear of his life and thought they were going to burn him. He was threatened he'd be put in a septic tank and have his balls cut off and left to bleed to death. When they left he phoned the Gardai in Tuam. They arranged for an ambulance to bring him to UCHG where he received six stitches to a cut to his lip. John Darcy was not charged in relation to the incident. 'How long have you been beating your wife?' was the first question put to Sean Farrell by Joe Langan's defence solicitor Gearoid Geraghty. Farrell admitted he had marital difficulties, adding that his brother-in-law had come to him and said his family was not going to stand by and let him beat her. â€ËœMinor' injuries Mr Geraghty put it to Farrell that if he had received the beating he claimed, he would have suffered more serious injuries. As it was the ambulance crew described them as minor. He said the reason for his client's visit on the night was out of concern over the beatings being inflicted on his sister and wanting Farrell to leave the home rather than his wife and children. In a memorandum to Det Sgt Mick O'Driscoll which was read to the Court, Joe Langan said Farrell had been beating his wife for the past 18 years. Her family saw the marks on her body. Her brothers decided it had to stop and visited Farrell to tell him so and ask him to leave the family home. After they left they felt they had done a good job and Farrell would move out, but this had not happened. Instead, his sister and her children moved out and rented another house. In his memorandum he described the difficulties experienced by his sister and her children in the home, stating that his sister said she just wanted to wash her hands of him. He admitted going to Farrell's home on the night in question, smashing the phones and hitting his brother-in-law. 'I hit him and he tried to hit me back but he was wasting his time,' Langan said. He took Farrell to a mirror and told him to take a look at his two black eyes and burst lip as that was the condition he regularly sent his wife back to her home house. He added that John Darcy had only restrained him and played no part in the assault. Farrell told him he couldn't afford to move house and Langan said that he must be gambling his money because his sister paid for everything in the home. Farrell is a salesman for a Cork-based company. Gearoid Geraghty pointed out that a protection order had been granted to Farrell's wife some years a go and it had been breached. Tragic situation He said this was a tragic situation but his client was being charged with a serious assault when the evidence of injury did not support such a charge. 'The Court has to look at the justice of the situation and weigh it up. There is a doubt in respect to the veracity of what Mr Farrell says and the domestic issues would be better resolved in another forum,' he argued. However, Supt Gearoid Begley said that while recognising this was a tragic situation, a home had been entered and an assault took place. It was regrettable that the defendant had not pursued a legal route to resolve the issues involved. Judge Browne said this was an exceptional type of case involving the emotional bond between a brother and sister. Under the circumstance he would apply the Probation Act. [/private]