Convicted killer jailed for choking woman in Limerick assault
A CONVICTED killer choked a woman in her bedroom to the point of her losing consciousness, spat in her face and told her, “I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again”, Limerick Circuit Court heard.
The assault occurred after the woman had helped him into bed due to his level of intoxication and as she was changing the sheets after he urinated on them.
Kevin Coughlan, aged 40, of Glenlara House, Mount Kenneth Place, Limerick city was before Judge Tom O’Donnell this month for criminal damage and assault.
He previously successfully appealed a conviction for murdering Mr Francis Greene, of Kilteely, in 2009 but was subsequently sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for his manslaughter.
It was the prosecution case that Coughlan had threatened Mr Greene with a knife and forced him to walk from his apartment at Hartstonge Street in the city to Steamboat Quay where he threw him into the water.
Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan, instructed by State solicitor Padraig Mawe, outlined the case with the assistance of Garda Michael Dunphy.
The court heard Coughlan and the victim were in a relationship at the time and she invited him to her home on the evening of July 20, 2018.
Mr O’Sullivan said when the defendant arrived he was intoxicated and agitated and had with him a bottle of vodka and orange juice.
“He fell asleep on the kitchen floor. She got him up the stairs and into bed where he urinated. She was changing the bed clothes, as she was changing the pillow cases he smashed a picture frame over her head.
“He swung her around by her hair, punched her and slammed the door shut (preventing escape),” said Mr O’Sullivan.
The court heard the victim was kicked and punched and she lost her balance.
“He grabbed her by the throat. He climbed on top of her. He started choking her. He spat in her face and said, ‘I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again’. She began to lose consciousness. He stopped, realising how far he had taken the attack,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
The victim escaped the bedroom and went onto the landing where he pinned her up against a bedroom door with small children inside.
“She ran down the stairs. He flipped a chest of drawers down the stairs narrowly missing the victim,” said Mr O’Sullivan. At that point family members of the victim came into the house and Coughlan “walked out peacefully as if nothing had happened”.
As part of the investigation, Garda Dunphy outlined how they retrieved Facebook messages between the parties. In one Coughlan said: “I wasn’t in jail for robbing sweets - are you charging me?” In another he wrote: “I f****d up a good thing. I’m a lowlife dirty c***. Do what you have to”.
The victim attended her GP with a throbbing ear, insomnia, aches and pains all over her body. A photo was handed to Judge O’Donnell that showed her hair pulled out, and marks on her face and legs.
Garda Dunphy said Coughlan has a number of previous convictions including robbery, burglary, criminal damage, assault causing harm, possession of articles, false imprisonment and manslaughter,
Jack Nicholas BL, who represented Coughlan, said his client has a different version of events, that he emphatically denies hitting her with a picture frame but accepts it was a despicable act.
“He expresses his remorse and apologises. It is embarrassing for him - the nature of the offence against a woman. He always considered himself to be a protector of women,” said Mr Nicholas.
The barrister said Coughlan has spent the majority of his adult life in custody but his life of crime has come to an end.
“I don’t say that lightly. He grew up in a difficult household. He was effectively taught by his father aggressive behaviour,” said Mr Nicholas.
The barrister said Coughlan’s focus is on his daughter whose mother died in tragic circumstances, he has completed a number of courses and has been sober since September 22.
Judge O’Donnell said it was a serious case and spoke of the severity and viciousness of the assault.
“No woman should be exposed to this kind of vicious assault. Items were broken off her body. The degree of culpability is high.
It occurred in the presence of young children which was a very frightening experience for them,” said Judge O’Donnell, who added that Coughlan’s previous convictions were of enormous concern and underpin a propensity towards violence.
The judge described the assault as “abhorrent” and imposed a three and a half year jail sentence with the final 18 months suspended under the condition he be of good behaviour for three and a half years.
The criminal damage charge was taken into consideration. Coughlan is to remain under the care and welfare of the Probation Service for 18 months post release.