Barrister tells court wrist was broken by her ex

Sam Maughan (20) is alleged to have forced his way into the woman's apartment and assaulted her two days after she told him their relationship was over.

At Dublin District Court the barrister said she was in fear of him.

The woman - who qualified as a barrister last year - appeared in court with her right arm in a cast and sling.

Mr Maughan is charged with assault causing her harm at her apartment in Dublin 8 on July 5.

Judge Timothy Lucey refused him bail and remanded him in custody.

Objecting to bail, the prosecuting garda said the barrister alleged Mr Maughan forced his way into her apartment at 10am. She also alleged he struck her in the face, knocking her down, and fractured her wrist when he grabbed it. The garda said he believed the accused could try to contact the alleged victim or commit offences if granted bail.

"I was knocked to the ground, I banged my head. I went into the bedroom, where my wrist was twisted back and my face was hit," the barrister said in evidence.

She added that after the alleged assault Mr Maughan approached her in Heuston Station and she ran away.

Cross-examined by defence solicitor Michael Kelleher she denied telling the accused she was pregnant.

She said it had been an "on-off" three-month relationship and the accused had stayed over at her apartment, but they were "never living together".

pregnant

Mr Kelleher said the relationship had become public knowledge and this was "professionally embarrassing" to the barrister.

"That is not the case. I was never embarrassed about anything," she said. The accused claimed the barrister had told him she was pregnant. He said he now "totally accepted" the relationship was over.

"If bail conditions said I had to move to Australia to get as far as I could away from her, I would do that," he said. "I'm done with her."

He alleged she had been contacting him and it was she who approached him at Heuston Station.

He denied assaulting her and said he had been telling her he "wanted things to work out".

Mr Kelleher said the defendant had "overestimated" the relationship and clung onto it because he saw it as more serious than it was. He said Mr Maughan - of Huntstown Rise, Mulhuddart - was willing to stay away from the barrister.

"This is more like a soap than a bail application," Judge Lucey said.

He said each party was denying what the other said, and "in terms of credibility I think I am inclined to believe her".