A MAN who assaulted his partner in Skibbereen and threatened gardaí with a knife has been sentenced to nine months in prison.

Robert O’Connor (35) of Glencar Scotch, Letterkenny, Donegal, pleaded guilty at Skibbereen District Court to charges of assault, criminal damage, a weapons offence and two charges of resisting arrest.

On April 25th last, a neighbour of the accused’s partner, living at Newbridge Park, Skibbereen, alerted gardaí after she found the woman distressed and looking for help outside of her home.

The court heard that gardaí went to the property at 7.35pm and waited for back-up from officers in Clonakilty before entering the unlocked house.

‘There was concern for the people in the property,’ said Sgt Tom Mulcahy.

On entering the house, gardaí discovered broken glass and various items thrown around.

After hearing noise from the upstairs bathroom, gardaí discovered a distressed woman sitting on the toilet in an intoxicated state.

Mr O’Connor was lying in the bath tub, heavily intoxicated, with the water in the tub diluted with blood.

During the course of events gardaí used incapacitant spray on him as he was said to have been enraged and brandished a bread knife threatening gardaí.

The accused then dropped the knife, came out of the bath tub and was arrested.

He had a deep, self-inflicted cut on his left arm, the court heard.

Ambulance crews attended the scene and both Mr O’Connor and his partner were taken to Clonakilty Garda station.

In a second incident at 1.15am on August 8th last, gardaí responded to a call about a domestic assault at the same address.

When they arrived, Mr O’Connor’s partner was sitting outside of the house, bleeding from the nose and with a wounded left eye.

She said she had been assaulted by a man in her house.

Inside the house, gardaí found Mr O’Connor lying on the couch and intoxicated.

‘On approach he lashed out violently at gardaí,’ said Sgt Mulcahy.

Sgt Mulcahy said that Mr O’Connor’s assault of his partner seemed to have started during the day and continued on and off all day.

A chest of drawers was thrown at her as was a mobile phone, the court heard.

She had to attend for medical treatment, and photos of her injuries were handed to Judge Joanne Carroll in court.

The court heard the accused has 12 previous convictions, including public order offences and criminal damage to property.

His last conviction was on April 28th last when he was fined €100 in Letterkenny for a public order offence.

Defence solicitor Flor Murphy said his client lived in Donegal with his mother.

‘His behaviour was appalling. He is an addict who was admitted to the psychiatric department in Letterkenny on September 16th 2025 for seven weeks,’ said Mr Murphy.

His client had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and ADHD and had a number of mental health issues and had been off drugs and alcohol for the past two months, he told the court.

He had worked as a fisherman in West Cork and had ‘throes of bad addiction,’ said Mr Murphy.

Judge Carroll said the assault on August 8th had been particularly vicious.

Referring to the victim impact statement, she said the woman was repeatedly strangled, suffered injuries including black eyes, marks and bruises, as well as a fractured rib.

She sentenced Robert O’Connor to nine-months in prison on the assault charge and took  into consideration the criminal damage charge.

He also received a six-month sentence for resisting arrest, and a further six months for wielding a knife during his arrest, all to run concurrently.

Judge Carroll said Mr O’Connor should have sought treatment earlier and that the victim had been severely traumatised by the assault.

Recognisances in the event of an appeal were fixed in the defendant’s own bond of €500.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.