Girl viciously attacked by ex in school toilets

A teenager, who barged into the toilets of his ex-girlfriend’s school and fractured her cheek bone with a punch to the face, was jailed for nine months at Galway District Court.

Judge Mary Fahy would not consider suspending any part of the sentence imposed on the man (19) considering that his victim was still receiving physical and psychological therapy following the attack on February 9 last year.

Remi Makula, originally from Romania but with an address at 52 Fearann Rí, Doughiska, had pleaded guilty to seriously assaulting the girl, who was 16 at the time, and with entering the grounds of the Presentation Secondary School as a trespasser, contrary to Section 12 of the Criminal Justice (Theft & Fraud Offences) Act 2001.

An interpreter was assigned to assist the injured party and her family during the hearing.

Inspector Mick O’Dwyer told the court that Makula was her estranged ex-boyfriend, and had gone to the school at 1.25pm, followed her to the toilets, where he pushed in the door of the cubicle. He punched her in the face, so hard that he fractured her cheekbone.

Judge Fahy was handed two medical reports outlining the injuries sustained in the attack. The DPP had directed that the matter be dealt with at District Court level on the tendering of a guilty plea only.

The girl, who is now 17, said that she had since left school altogether, and was currently receiving counselling and going to a physiotherapist for her injuries. The feeling in her face was affected, she added, through the interpreter.

Solicitor for Makula, John Martin, said that his client was holding his hands up, and accepted that he should not have been there at the time.

He said that the pair had been in a relationship, but had broken up shortly before this.

“He went to the school to talk to her, but he ‘lost the head’, and later that day he apologised,” he said.

“After that, things were okay between them, and then there was a separate incident – the DPP decided not to prosecute; the injured party was found by Gardaí shortly afterwards.”

He added that there had been a lot of tension between both families, but that this had since dissipated somewhat.

The injured party was not willing to accept the apology offered through Mr Martin.

“She is still affected by this, both physically and psychologically,” Judge Fahy told the solicitor.

“This is not domestic abuse – it is a serious criminal assault. In my view, he thinks it’s okay to treat women like this.”

The court heard that Makula had 10 previous convictions for theft and traffic offences, but none for assault; another matter is due to be heard in September, however.

The Judge remarked that he had not learned any lessons having been before the court prior to this incident, and was now facing another case.

In imposing the nine-month sentence, she was mindful of the serious medical report before her, and the DPP’s view of the matter. She would not consider Mr Martin’s request to suspend part of it.

Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal, on Makula’s own surety of €800, and an independent surety of €1,000, half to be lodged in each case. The surety has to be approved by the State with 48-hours’ notice.

A further condition of his recognisances is that he has no contact, by any means, with the injured party or her family.