Courts / Meath / Report

Suspended sentence for weekly attacks on partner in 'appalling' coercive control case too lenient, court finds

Date
2023-07-21

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Ratoath

County
Meath

Summary

In a case heard at Trim Circuit Court, James 'Jake' Boles, aged 24, received a wholly suspended two‑year sentence for one count of coercive control and five counts of assault causing harm to his partner, Jody Duggan, aged 22, between 1 January and 5 April 2019. The assaults included dragging her by the hair, slamming her head, and pushing his fist into her face, and were described as "appalling" coercive control. After a successful appeal by the State, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, re‑sentenced Boles to one year in jail, citing the frequency and severity of the violence and the psychological harm inflicted. The court found the original fully suspended sentence to be too lenient and noted that the trial judge had erred in fully suspending the sentence. The appeal decision was based solely on the allegations and evidence presented in the original trial, without reference to any later developments or outcomes.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Suspended sentence for weekly attacks on partner in 'appalling' coercive control case too lenient, court finds. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

January 1, 2019 Incident
April 5, 2019 Incident
2023-07-21 Publication

Why: Counsel said that his client had since been "publicly shamed" which he said was a "significant penalty" in addition to losing his job as a security guard because of the convictions. CNI source report

Case subjects

Jake' Boles

Appellant

Outcome: Photo: Collins) A man who was given a wholly suspended sentence for weekly attacks on his partner, where he dragged her by the hair, slammed her head, pushed his fist into her face and screamed abuse at her while subjecting her to "appalling" coercive control – will now be sent to jail after a successful appeal by the State. At Trim Circuit Court in January of this year, James 'Jake' Boles was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, fully suspended, by Judge Orla Crowe for one count of coercive control and five counts of assault causing harm to his then partner at two addresses in Ratoath, Co Meath, between January 1, 2019 and April 5, 2019.