A 23-year-old man using body building steroids went beserk when he combined them with drink and drugs and attacked his girlfriend almost strangling her to death, a court has heard.
Shane Green of the Bungalow, Kilcully, Co Cork pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning and assaulting his girlfriend, Amy Deedy, causing her harm on January 24th 2014.
Green also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a woman who came to Ms Deedy's assistance when he appeared on the three charges at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Garda Brian Murphy told the court that Green and Ms Deedy had been dating for a short time when they went out together on the night in question but got separate taxis back to his home.
Green got home first and when Ms Deedy arrived, he attacked her without provocation, hitting her in the face with his fist before trying to strangle her, said Garda Murphy.
Another woman came to Ms Deedy’s assistance but Green attacked her and put his hands around her throat and knocked her to ground before yanking her up by her hair.
He then returned to attacking Ms Deedy, punching her in the face before he exited the house only for him to return after he caught Ms Deedy trying to escape through a window.
Defence barrister, Ray Boland BL, said that his client had been taking body building steroids and on the night in question took drink and drugs and his recollection of the night was hazy
Green took the stand to apologise for the assaults on Ms Deedy and the other woman and said that he deeply regretted subjecting them to such a terrifying ordeal.
“I just want to apologise for what I did - I wasn’t right in my head at the time, I was heavily caught up in addiction at the time - I am truly sorry,” Green told the court.
Judge Sean O Donnabhain said the level of violence used by Green was particularly frightening and resulted in him pulverizing his girlfriend to a pulp.
“You were injecting yourself with steroids for bodybuilding and then you added in copious amounts of alcohol to add fuel to the fire and you exploded on the night,” he said.
The judge noted that Green had two previous convictions for assault and said that had he contested the case and been convicted, he would have been facing eight years in jail.
However, he deserved a discount for pleading guilty and he sentenced him to five years in jail for the false imprisonment but suspended the final two years of the sentence.
He also sentenced him to three years in jail concurrent for the two assaults and backdated the sentences to July 14th.
