Man (28) who punched and kicked girlfriend on the head and body jailed for one year
Isabel Hayes
A man who punched and kicked his girlfriend to the head and body as she lay on the ground following a minor disagreement has been jailed for one year.
Kassim Dembele (28) was in a “good” on/off relationship with his girlfriend at the time, and there was no history of violence before he attacked her without warning on a Dublin street in July 2023, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.
Dembele, of Monksfield Lawns, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to the young woman on James Joyce Street on July 30th, 2023. He has no previous convictions.
Paddy Jackson BL, prosecuting, said the couple had been in an on and off relationship for a period of time. They had gone for breakfast on the morning in question before Dembele spent some time teaching her to drive.
They met again that night for dinner in the city, before meeting friends. At around 11.45pm, the woman said she wanted to leave and this seems to have annoyed Dembele, the court heard.
When she suggested that they go home to their separate houses that night, a verbal argument ensued on the street.
Dembele then punched her to the face without warning, pulling her hair as she fell to the ground. He punched and kicked her several times as she lay on the street before leaving the scene.
The woman went home and woke her mother before they went to a garda station to report the incident. On the advice of gardaí, she also went to hospital where her injuries were examined. The court heard alcohol did not play a factor in the assault.
The court heard she suffered swelling and pain to her face and an abrasion to her back, where it had scraped off the ground. She had prolonged pain to her jaw and mouth for some period, but has since recovered from her physical injuries.
Dembele was arrested in August 2023 and made full admissions to gardaí. There has been no contact between the couple since the incident. The woman was not in court for the sentence hearing.
Judge Orla Crowe expressed concern that a man with no previous convictions or history of violence or aggression would carry out such an attack in what had been a good relationship.
The judge said he showed “an utter disregard and disrespect” and noted the injured party had recovered physically but not psychologically.
Judge Crowe said that despite there being no previous convictions, the offence had to be marked by a partly custodial sentence. She handed down a two-year sentence but suspended the final 12 months of it on strict conditions.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Women’s Aid (24-hour freephone helpline at 1800-341 900, email helpline@womensaid.ie) or Men’s Aid Ireland (confidential helpline at 01-554 3811, email hello@mensaid.ie) for support and information.
Safe Ireland also offers a number of local services and helplines at safeireland.ie/get-help/where-to-find-help/. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.
