There has been widespread outrage after a convicted murderer who almost suffocated his wife at their home in West Cork received an 18 month suspended sentence.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that Marius Rucinskas, who is originally from Lithuania, repeatedly struck his wife, tore clumps of hair from her head and pulled off her eyelash extensions
He pleaded guilty to the charge of assault causing harm to his wife Renata Rucinskeine on January 1, 2020 at their home in Main Street, Castletownbere, Co Cork.
Mr. Rucinskas has a number of previous convictions from his native country, Lithuania, including a 15-year sentence imposed in 2000 for premeditated murder and a false imprisonment charge.
Following a court hearing on Thursday, Judge Sean Ó Donnabháin handed down an 18-month sentence suspended for three years on the condition that the defendant stays away from Castletownbere.
Speaking about this court decision, Newstalk Breakfast co-presenter Ciara Kelly said: “It’s the opposite of justice in my view and I think it sends a horrific message to women.
“This woman was brutally assaulted, she was punched, she was kicked, her hair was pulled out and her eyelashes were pulled off...lest we forget was committed by a previously convicted murderer who has served 15 years in the past for murder.
“What does someone have to do as a woman for us to be taken seriously, for the justice system to take violence against women seriously.”
She went on to say that using the terms ‘domestic violence' and ‘domestic abuse,’ in her opinion “mitigates the fact that a woman is being battered senseless.”
The worry for many following this particular sentencing is that people will no longer come forward when they are in terrifying situations like this because the legal system has failed on many occasions to bring justice upon the abusers.
“Rubbish sentences like this will stop women coming forward," she said.
Domestic Violence Social Worker with Cork’s Cualee refuge for women and children, Catriona O’Neill spoke on the show on Friday morning and added: “It’s absolutely appalling, I think this is, unfortunately, one of the many examples of how the legal system in Ireland is failing survivors of domestic abuse.
“The judge spoke about how he had been drinking and he also mentioned things like ‘he worked in a difficult environment in a fish factory’ and how he stayed away from the village since the assault.
“Whenever I read pieces like this I always find it very hard and very frustrating because it’s like there is a rationale or reasoning for this behaviour and quite frankly there is no excuse whatsoever for any assault on a partner.”
Ms. O’Neill said that Ireland’s court system has shown time and time again that it is very tolerable of domestic abuse, which is once again evident in this latest case.
“Unfortunately I would see very regularly that domestic violence isn’t being taken seriously in court. I have often supported women who are going to court to get a barring order following an assault from a partner with very serious and visible injuries on them when they’re in court and they’ll be excused.
“Instead of being awarded a barring order, which requires their partner to leave the house immediately, they’ll be given something like a protection order instead, where the partner can stay in the family home.
“But for many women, they don’t feel safe with just a protection order.”
If women in Ireland see severe domestic abuse scenarios like this one being dealt with in such a lax form, the social worker said the chances of more people coming forward will be minimised.
She said: “I work with many women who are reluctant to actually go and report it to the gardai or to follow up then and bring a case to court because they hear of cases like this.
“It’s incredibly difficult to bring anything through a court level because you’re very exposed and an awful lot of the time your character is being knocked.
“I would really encourage women to speak to their support, link in with family and friends, and talk about what’s happening in your life."
She said that although this is a case where the system failed one woman, this won't be the case for everyone.
“Take support from your local domestic violence support services, go to the gardai, there is support out there.”
