Lover lacerated man's privates with belt buckle

Lisa Moran (42) of O' Devaney Gardens pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Eamon Desmond the early hours of June 5, 2007 at his home at Annamoe Drive, Dublin 7.

Following her sentence at the Criminal Courts of Justice, Moran, who formerly worked as a cleaner in the building, was escorted out of a restricted entrance by an employee at the CCJ, preventing waiting photographers at the public entrance from taking her picture.

A gasp was heard in the courtroom as details of Mr Desmond's injuries, which included "an exposed left testicle", were read out by prosecution counsel, Colm O'Briain.

Mr Desmond, who was in a relationship with Moran at the time of the offence, was asleep in bed when Moran arrived at his home and kicked in a glass panel of his front door.

Straddled

Moran was out socialising and heard "rumours" that Mr Desmond had made "disparaging" comments about her daughter. The victim agreed to let her in after a few minutes following assurances from Moran she would not cause any further damage and he believed her to have "calmed down".

On opening the door Moran "launched" herself upon Mr Desmond and knocked him to the floor and began kicking, scratching and slapping him. When trying to restrain Moran, Mr Desmond "straddled" her on the floor and held her two arms down and decided to ring the gardai.

To do this he was required to let go of Moran's arms and as he dialled the number he "felt a sharp pain in his scrotum area", Garda Brian McCann said.

Moran said she did not mean to cause him serious harm and the injury was caused by her belt buckle.

Garda McCann said that Mr Desmond was "happy to put the incident behind him" and had no wish for compensation.

Judge Martin Nolan said that Moran was guilty but accepted the injury wasn't intentional. He sentenced her to 18 months imprisonment suspended in its entirety for one year.

hnews@herald.ie