Sentences for coercive control ‘must reflect seriousness’ of crime
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SENTENCES FOR PEOPLE convicted of coercive control must reflect the seriousness of the crime, the National Women’s Council of Ireland has said.
The remarks from the women’s organisation come after a man was given a wholly suspended sentence after pleading guilty to a campaign of abuse and coercive control against in wife in Dublin between 2019 and 2022.
Mr Justice Martin Nolan said last week that 44-year-old Ian Barry’s actions towards his wife were “disgraceful” before suspending his three-year sentence in full, under strict conditions.
Coercive control was criminalised in Ireland in 2018. It is when someone “knowingly and persistently” engages in behaviour that is controlling and coercive and has a serious effect on a person.
Ivanna Youtchak, the violence against women coordinator at the women’s council, said the serious and complex crime typically includes multiple forms of abuse including, emotional, financial, psychological and physical abuse.
Dublin’s Circuit Criminal Court heard that Barry was verbally abusive to his wife, calling her names including ‘Adolf’ and a ‘liar’.
The couple were married for 17 years. The victim told gardaí in late 2022 that the behaviour began towards the end of the relationship.
Barry subjected his wife to physical violence by throwing objects at her and exerted full financial control over her, forcing her to account for every penny spent and checked shopping bags and receipts, the court heard.
Following the end of the relationship in 2022, the court heard that Barry continued to use a Ring doorbell camera to monitor the house, accessing it 32 times in one day before it was removed.
Barry would be verbally abusive in some situations, including if he wasn’t happy with meals or considered the house untidy.
Content retrieved from: https://www.thejournal.ie/coercive-control-sentences-6708959-May2025/.
