Courts / Dublin / Report
Suspended sentence for man who punched partner
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Graham Shields, aged 34, received a fully suspended 18‑month sentence for assault causing harm after punching his then partner in the face at Mulvey Park, Dundrum, on 1 July 2018. The court noted the attack followed a verbal exchange after a wedding celebration involving alcohol. Shields, diagnosed with an anti‑social personality disorder and experiencing high anxiety, pleaded guilty. The victim suffered significant injury, including swelling and bruising that took about three weeks to heal, blurred vision, and required two years of weekly counselling. Shields has no prior convictions, is on cordial terms with the victim, contributes financially to their son, and is under Probation Service supervision for 18 months. The judge suspended the entire sentence on strict conditions, citing Shields' mental health history, lack of previous convictions, and remorse.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Suspended sentence for man who punched partner. Charges or matters: assault causing harm at Mulvey Park, Dundrum, on July 1, 2018. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- July 1, 2018 Incident
- 2021-03-11 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: assault causing harm at Mulvey Park, Dundrum, on July 1, 2018 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Passing sentence today, Judge Melanie Greally said Shields and his then partner had passed the day attending a wedding and the celebrations involved quite an amount of alcohol. Judge Greally sentenced Shields to 18 months imprisonment, but suspended the entirety of the sentence on strict conditions including that he follow all directions of the Probation Service for 18 months.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Greenhills Road
- Tallaght
- Mulvey Park
- Dundrum
Topics
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