Man who slapped his ex-partner across the face demonstrated 'disgusting behaviour' says Craigavon judge
‘Disgusting behaviour has been exhibited to the victim in this case’ said a judge as he sentenced a man for assaulting his ex-partner.
Cristian Galesanu, aged 49, from Cornmarket Court, Tandragee, appeared in the dock at Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with assault.
-
-
Galesanu had previously been found guilty and the district judge ordered a pre-sentence report. However Galesanu failed to attend, claiming he had not received notification and further claiming a Probation officer, who hand delivered a letter to the defendant, was lying.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said after Galesanu contested the charge of assault he convicted him as “I didn’t believe him”.
"I am now being told he disputes that a Probation officer hand delivered a letter to him. He can shrug all he wants but I don’t believe him.”
The court was told that on August 14 last year at 9.04pm, police responded to an ongoing domestic at Portmor Street, Portadown. The injured party said her ex-partner – the defendant – had assaulted her by ‘slapping her across the face’ during a disagreement.
During interview Galesanu denied slapping her but admitted ‘spitting on her several times’. Asked if he hit her, he replied: “No, never, I drank some beers and went to bed. I did not push her. I did spit on her because I wanted her to return my money.”
A defence lawyer said Galesanu has been in the jurisdiction for six years working at Davison Quality Foods and has no previous convictions for violent offending.
He said the victim and his client were in a relationship for two-and-a-half years and described this incident as a “one off”.
"He was intoxicated at the time of the incident,” the lawyer added, saying the argument arose over the sum of £1,000 which had gone missing.
"Domestic violence of any nature is a scourge and disgusting behaviour has been exhibited to the victim in this case,” said the district judge. “It was degrading and demeaning behaviour which took place in the presence of the victim’s son.”
Galesanu was sentenced to six months in jail suspended for two-and-a-half years and ordered to pay £15 offender levy. A new Restraining Order was put in place to last two-and-a-half years.