In a decision that should attract outrage, 38-year-old Colin Curtis from Crusheen, Co Clare, Ireland, has been handed a suspended sentence for a brutal assault on his then-girlfriend. Judge Francis Comerford, presiding at Ennis Circuit Court, sentenced Curtis to two years and six months in prison, but the term is suspended, meaning Curtis will only serve jail time if he breaches court orders or commits further offenses.
Colin Curtis Tells His Girlfriend She Will Leave the House Dead
Breaking News Ireland reports that Colin Curtis’s attack occurred on May 26, 2023, at an apartment on Parnell Street, Ennis. During a vodka-fueled assault, Curtis violently restrained his girlfriend and threatened her life, telling her, “You are not leaving this house b**ch until you are dead.” The assault lasted for an hour and left the victim with multiple injuries, including bruises on her head, neck, arms, and legs.
Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly SC, reported that the victim presented herself at the local Garda station at 11:55 PM on the night of the attack, visibly injured and distressed. Connolly detailed the extent of the victim’s injuries, including a lump on her forehead, swelling on both sides of her jaw, and various bruises. “The woman described Mr. Curtis punching her in the face and pulling her around the sitting room ‘like a rag doll,’” Connolly said [via Breaking News].
Judge’s Rationale Behind the Suspended Sentence
Despite describing Curtis’s actions as a “horrendous assault” that “terrorised” the victim, Judge Comerford imposed a suspended sentence based on “exceptional circumstances.”
In his remarks, Judge Comerford stated that Curtis had shown remorse and was taking steps to address his alcohol addiction.
What Judge Comerford seems not to realize is that, while alcohol abuse may exacerbate violence, it does not cause it. A state of intoxication simply shows more of who they already are.
Curtis’s legal counsel, Patrick Whyms BL, argued that Curtis was genuinely remorseful and had made significant efforts to reform his behavior. Whyms presented character references from Curtis’s current partner and an unnamed employer, who described him as “friendly, polite, and always willing to go the extra mile.”
According to Whyms, Curtis had stopped drinking and using drugs and was working to rebuild his life. His victim is likely to face significantly greater challenges in ‘rebuilding’ and recovering from her ordeal.
Victims Are Tired of the Same Narrative
A recurring frustration among victims of domestic violence, and the organizations that protect them, is the predictable narrative that accompanies cases involving abusers like Colin Curtis.
Every time we see an abuser in court, they’re quick to apologize and present themselves as someone who made a ‘mistake’ rather than someone who repeatedly terrorized their partner. The reality is that these so-called ‘nice’ and ‘friendly’ individuals are the same ones who commit heinous acts of violence behind closed doors. Public facades of respectability do not erase the brutality experienced by their victims.
The narrative masks the true nature of domestic violence. It implies that abusive behavior is an anomaly in an otherwise commendable character, rather than an inherent aspect of the abuser’s personality.
Irish Judicial System’s Handling of Gender-Based Violence
The controversial decision comes just one month after a suspended sentence was handed to Cathal Crotty, a 22-year-old soldier in the Irish Defence Forces who beat a woman unconscious in Limerick. Crotty had also been described in court as an upstanding citizen of good character.
The incident, which took place on May 28, 2022, saw Crotty attack Natasha O’Brien, 24, without provocation. The suspended sentence sparked widespread outrage and protests across the country. Protests revealed fury around the decision, which reveals systemic issues within the judicial system regarding the treatment of gender-based violence cases.
The suspended sentence handed to Colin Curtis has not only failed to provide justice for the victim but has also cast a shadow on the judicial system’s approach to domestic violence cases. It reveals a troubling leniency towards perpetrators of violence and reflects a systemic failure to protect victims and address their needs adequately. Women are being let down by a legal system that appears more inclined to mitigate the consequences for abusers than to support those who suffer from their violence.
Featured image: Colin Curtis leaving court after the verdict. Source: Breakingnews.ie.
