Courts / Dublin / Report

"Devout Muslim" who attempted to murder his wife with kettle bell sentenced to 15 years

Date
2014-07-21

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Tallaght

County
Dublin

Summary

Lounes Ouachek, 44, of St Dominic's Terrace, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his wife, Ruta Ouachek, 35, by striking her on the head with a kettle bell on 23 August 2012. The court heard the couple's marriage had deteriorated after he lost his job and she began an engineering degree, and that he resented her independence. The assault left her with skull and facial fractures, motor and sensory deficits, and required surgery at Tallaght and Beaumont Hospitals. Ouachek fled the scene, left the house, and later travelled to Tunisia via Paris, leaving his wife injured for nine hours. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment with three years suspended, backdated to 14 February 2013, and ordered to stay away from his wife and undergo 18 months of post‑release supervision. The judge noted his guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, and foreign nationality as mitigating factors. The sentence reflects the callous and brutal nature of the crime.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: "Devout Muslim" who attempted to murder his wife with kettle bell sentenced to 15 years. Charges or matters: the attempted murder of Ruta Ouachek (35) at that address on August 23, 2012. Procedural stage: sentence

When: