A man is facing a lengthy prison sentence after he admitted head butting his former girlfriend at a friend’s wedding.
Kevin Kavanagh head-butted and punched his former partner Andrea Killen, on March 15, 2015, at a wedding in the Villa Rose Hotel, Ballybofey.
Buncrana District Court heard how Kavanagh had committed the ‘ultimate cowardly act’, adding that it was ‘very difficult to see’ how the case could be dealt with other than by way of a custodial sentence.
Judge Paul Kelly described the incident as a ‘horrific assault’ that has left lasting damage.
Kavanagh, 39, had asked Ms. Killen to accompany him to the mutual friend’s wedding in the hope of ‘rekindling’ their relationship but Ms. Killen only wanted to remain as friends.
Garda Inspector David Murphy said things came to a head after Ms. Killen received a text message from a male friend.
“Mr. Kavanagh, who had been drinking heavily, began questioning her about the message but she would not engage,” said Insp. Murphy.
“Later in the night Ms. Killen was sitting talking to a friend when Kavanagh came up to her, head butted her in the face and punched her right eye. Mr. Kavanagh had to be pulled away and Ms. Killen’s mother then came down from Derry to take her home.”
The court heard that Ms. Killen suffered extensive facial injuries following the incident.
“She had significant bruising to her right eye and her forehead was bruised and swollen also,” added Insp. Murphy.
Speaking in court Ms. Killen said she lost her voice for two months after the attack in Ballybofey. She said she is still receiving treatment on her vocal cords in Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.
The Derry woman said she received victim support counselling for three months and was also treated for a brain injury.
Addressing Ms. Killen in court, Mr. Kavanagh, of 32 Cashel Hill Park, Derry, said he apologised for ‘any inconvenience’ he had caused in his former partner’s life. He described the assault as a ‘moment of madness’ and said that he had not drunk alcohol since.
He added: “I have let myself and my family down – I was brought up better than that. It was a moment of madness that I regret every day of my life.”
Kavanagh’s defence solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn said his client was ‘genuine in his remorse’, adding that he ‘seriously regrets’ lashing out at her.
“Mr. Kavanagh asked Ms. Killen about the text message and he was rightly told that it was none of his business but jealously is like the jaundice of the soul. It was eating away at him over the course of the night and that, fuelled by the alcohol, resulted in things becoming heated. He just couldn’t accept that she had moved on.”
Mr. MacLochlainn said the Derry man was working as mechanical fitter and was able to pay any sum of compensation which the court decided upon.
Judge Paul Kelly said he would give Kavanagh a chance to come up with €5,000 in compensation for the ‘horrific assault’ he inflicted on Ms. Killen. He added that this was only a ‘gesture’ as her injuries would warrant further compensation, which she would be entitled to pursue in a civil court.
“He subjected Ms. Killen to the ultimate cowardly act and caused her very graphic injuries that she still suffers from today,” said Judge Kelly.
“It is very difficult to see how I can deal with this case any other way than by way of a custodial sentence.”
Judge Kelly referred to a report, which was complied by the Probation Service of Northern Ireland about the Derry man. He said the probation officer believed that Kavanagh ‘did not present a serious risk of harm’ to the public but believed that he had a ‘medium likelihood’ of reoffending. The detailed report also stated that Kavanagh showed ‘significant signs of remorse’ and that ‘alcohol was a factor’ in the assault.
Judge Kelly remanded Kavanagh on his own continuing bail until May 12 for sentencing and to give him time to raise the €5,000 in compensation.