Search
04 Dec 2025
Search
04 Dec 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
The 40-year-old man - who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim - was queried at length about his alcoholism by Judge Alec Gabbett at Ennis District Court
A Clare businessman who has admitted breaching court orders under the Domestic Violence Act, has been urged to consider getting an alcohol pellet.
The 40-year-old man - who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim - was queried at length about his alcoholism by Judge Alec Gabbett at Ennis District Court.
The Judge said the man “has an addiction on the level of someone who lives on the streets”.
All of the offences occurred over a five-week period in 2024.
The court heard that the man has since been to rehab and has drunk alcohol “ten days in the last three months” and that he hasn’t taken cocaine since the summer.
Read More: Slow, unreliable EV chargers in Clare are failing to meet growing public demand
During a review of the case, Judge Gabbett deemed this to be a great improvement compared to his previous intake. The court heard the man “has been drinking his whole life”.
The Judge said he only wants “to get him well” and he recommended to the man that he get a chemical implant treatment from a GP in order to help him refrain from drinking.
The man said “I do want to stop”, and admitted that his relationship with his wife has ended since he was last before the courts. He told Judge Gabbett that he would be amenable to getting an implant to stop drinking, however his GP does not currently provide this service.
The Judge said that other clients of the man’s solicitor have received the implant adding: “You’re one of 100 alcoholics who’ve come in today. This country is awash”.
The man’s solicitor said his client has “suffered a lot".
A lengthy probation report, which was prepared for the court, deemed the man to be at a low risk of reoffending in relation to the domestic violence offences.
Imposing a probation/supervision order, he directed the man to attend probation service meetings for two years and to attend any suggested alcohol addiction services that are recommended.
"It's over to you now," he commented at the conclusion of the case.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
