Brave: Dani spoke out after sentence
A WOMAN whose ex-boyfriend beat her for 90 minutes and was given a Community Service Order as punishment has revealed how she challenged the judge after the case.
Danielle Kerrigan (pictured right) told Donegal Daily how she waited until after the court hearing to challenge Circuit Court judge John O’Hagan.
Eamonn Harkin, 24, from St Eunan’s Terrace in Raphoe beat Danielle Kerrigan black and blue for 90 minutes and only stopped to get a drink of water.
Harkin, 24, escaped jail last November after being convicted of the assault in February, 2010 for which he served 240 hours community service. He spent two weeks in jail awaiting sentence.
Harkin has been back in court again facing charges that he assaulted William O’Donnell, Mr Kerrigan’s new boyfriend.
Letterkenny District Court heard Harkin was ‘traumatised’ because of Donegal Daily’s reporting of the case last November.
Judge Paul Kelly fined Harkin €250 for assaulting Mr O’Donnell and €200 for failing to give his name and address to Gardai. He was also bound to the peace for two years.
Today Danielle revealed she had spoken to Judge O’Hagan after the November case.
“I did ask Judge O’Hagan after my court case in November about the sentence. He told me that he felt 240 hours community service was enough for the crime as well as Mr Harkin doing two weeks in jail,” said Danielle.
“We went to the District Court this time and we knew ourselves he wasn’t going to go to jail but we are glad that we got him convicted! He got more of a punishment for punching my boyfriend than for the attack on me.”
The Raphoe woman paid tribute to the community in the town for their support.
Harkin: Convicted of assault again
“Their support has been one of the things that has gotten us through these past three years,” she said.
“However I had to say that my experience of the courts has not been good in my opinion. Women find it hard to speak out – but you have to stand up to bullies,” she added.