A judge has reprimanded a woman for circulating a “humiliating” video of her husband’s “bin-bag” eviction from the family home.
At the Family Law Court, Judge Mary Larkin told the woman “I don’t want to be hearing that you are sending videos to his family to humiliate him before his parents as a man and his position in the marriage”.
Judge Larkin told the woman: “You are in Ireland now, and you play by the rules that exist here and not by whatever rules are out there.”
Judge Larkin made her comments after the man told the court in evidence that his wife put all his clothes in big bags and threw them outside the front door after finding a message he had received on his smart-watch.
He said: “She recorded it all and sent it all to my family.”
The man said that his father hasn’t spoken to him since viewing the videos his wife has sent on.
The man agreed with Judge Larkin that his father doesn’t speak to him because his father saw his wife disrespecting him.
Shame
Asked by his solicitor, Stiofan Fitzpatrick was circulating the video to his family done to bring shame on him, the man replied “maybe”.
Mr Fitzpatrick said that the woman “made a spectacle of the fact that my client’s clothes were outside the front door”.
The husband agreed with Mr Fitzpatrick that “since this event, a number of videos and photos in terms of how you are being treated here in Ireland are being distributed in your native country after your wife sent them”.
Mr Fitzpatrick said after his client’s belongings were thrown out the front door, he hasn’t returned to the family home and has been staying with relatives.
The couple are both Irish non-nationals and have been living here for a number of years.
Protection Order
The wife secured a Protection Order against her husband where he was not present in the court in June, and he was looking to have the Protection Order thrown out.
Judge Larkin stated that she would hear evidence concerning the contested Protection Order next month.
She added that the man is entitled to go back to the family home if he wants as there is only a Protection Order in place.
Judge Larkin said that the evidence she has heard “is wear and tear in the marriage — it has to be a bit more than shouting and yelling — there isn’t a house in the country where a couple don’t shout and yell at each other every now and then”.
