Man jailed at Dundalk Circuit Court for coercive control and assault
Dominic Mallinson pleaded guilty to coercive control and a separate charge of assault causing harm at Dundalk Circuit Court
Dundalk Circuit Court has heard how a 38 year old man who coercively controlled his partner over a 15 month period, had met the victim in Drogheda courthouse when she accompanied a friend who was applying for a protection order.
Judge Dara Hayes was told a former girlfriend had called to warn the woman's mother about the behaviour of Dominic Mallinson, with an address in Bradford in England, who pleaded guilty to coercive control between November 11th 2019 and February seventh 2021, and a separate charge of assault causing harm on August second 2020.
The investigating garda,from the Divisional Protective Services Unit outlined to the court last Wednesday how the had moved into the victim's home within weeks of meeting her in 2019 and her family was concerned by the speed of the relationship and her mother was very concerned by the way her daughter was being isolated after his ex-partner called to her home.
He lost his job due to the Covid lockdown, and the situation worsened, as he didn't like being at home. A pattern emerged of him being verbally abusive, followed by love-bombing.
The woman started work as a carer, and he would ask why she had taken so long, if she wasn't home within 10 minutes.
In March 2020, during a fight he called her derogatory terms, pushed her onto her bed, and fired a full basket of laundry at her - which caught her on the left eye and caused swelling.
He was originally charged with assault causing harm arising out of that incident, but it was taken into consideration, as part of the sentencing hearing on foot of his guilty pleas.
Dominic Mallinson was unremorseful and tried to claim it was an accident. She told her ex partner, the father of her child about this incident and the court heard he was so concerned for her safety that he reported her missing when she turned her phone off for three days.
The woman split up from the defendant for eight to ten weeks but when an e-flow bill arrived for him at her address, they began talking again and the relationship resumed. The court heard the defendant would get jealous because he didn't have access to his own son.
Mr Mallison was a disqualified driver, and as she felt guilty for notifying his employer of this by letter during the split, she felt she had to drive him to and from work, when they got back together she ended up going on sick leave in order to continue to do this.
On August second 2020, the defendant bit her to the left side of her face and choked her after she took a call from a male friend of a friend and the victim sought assistance from a neighbour.
The defendant took her phones, keys and insulin and a landlord and a friend accompanied her when she tried to retrieve them. Her keys were found in the oven and because Mallinson became so aggressive the landlord asked him to leave.
The then-couple went for counselling to SoSad and the defendant blamed the woman for his actions.
The court heard how on another occasion he reversed his car into the woman's car and on another he punched a hole into the kitchen door.
In November 2020 she received a text from a new number saying he was missing her like crazy.
Anytime the woman mentioned her mother, the defendant would get angry, and this would also happen if she didn't answer his calls straight away and he would call her all day long as well.
She told gardai she was "walking on eggshells" and could not leave the house and she shut herself off to avoid arguments and repercussions. The defendant also told her “to go and die - to jump off a bridge” even though he knew about her mental health difficulties.
On February second 2021, in a voicemail he said her mother would not be living much longer and he didn't mind going to prison over it. He also told the victim if he choked her during sex, “He would not stop choking her”.
The court heard the threat to the woman's mother was the straw that broke the camel's back and she made a statement in a local garda station but she withdrew it when he told her he was suicidal.
After he was arrested in April 2021, Mallinson denied the allegations and claimed he was being set up by family members. He said their relationship was fine and that pressure from everybody around the relation was responsible for it breaking down. He took no responsibility for his actions and when asked if he ever verged on vioence, he said “he never did”.
The defendant returned to England but was not aware that a prosecution was pending and was ultimately returned here on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.
He had several previous convictions predominantly for road traffic offences, but had one for making off without payment in 2012 and another for unlawful possession of drugs in 2011.
The Defence barrister put it to the investigating garda that his client recognised he suffered with anger management issues and highlighted how the woman said that “cocaine had brought out a real darkness” in his client.
The lawyer also said his client had spent three days in custody in total.
In her victim impact statement, the woman said the defendant had slowly stripped her sense of safety, identity and self-worth and he had isolated her from people who cared about her and “could see what was happening”.
She added he was constantly monitoring her behaviour and explained that coercive control “changes the way you think, the way you see yourself” and it caused her to doubt her memory and instincts.
The injured party said she had feared for her life and now suffers from nighttime flashbacks, hypervigilance, and constant anxiety and part of her memory was affected by what he did to her. “This man bit my face”, she added that it has affected her ability “to trust others and trust myself...I over analyse everything. The trauma has affected me deeply as a mother”. The woman also spoke of the guilt she feels about bringing the defendant into her life.
She highlighted how he had lived rent-free in her home and she “financially supported him while living in fear of him” and she fears that he will still “be able to get into my head”.
The Defence barrister said he had instructions to give an unreserved apology for the trauma he (Mallinson) has caused and it is hoped she can find solace from him pleading guilty.
He added the Probation report assessed the defendant as being at high risk of spousal violence and moderate risk of inter-personal violence.
The lawyer handed in a letter to the court written by Mr Mallinson's wife who was present in court. They got engaged in 2023 and married in December 2024 and she described him as “kind, loyal, caring and supportive and she never felt controlled, intimidated, or unsafe”.
The counsel stressed that she was always fully aware of his history and past issues. Since 2021 he has ceased taking all illicit substances and his alcohol intake is confined to family occasions or social evenings with his wife.
The barrister outlined how his client was going through the Covid pandemic, and was not working at all and “had an idle mind”. He was financially constrained and turned to alcohol and relied on illicit substances.
However, Judge Dara Hayes pointed out the woman's family was concerned in 2019, which predates Covid.
The court heard the defendant works as a concrete pump supplier and employs, and has flown home for consultations with his legal team and for Probation appointments, stating he “has excellent insight into his behaviour”" and the impact coercive control has.
The father of two boys from two separate relationships prior to meeting the victim has not come to further adverse attention since 2021, and the lawyer said that provided he remains of sober habits this is someone who will not be troubling the courts again.
Judge Hayes imposed concurrent three year sentences, backdated to allow for the three days spent in custody, with the final 12 months suspended on him entering a good behaviour bond.
As part of the suspended portion of his sentence, he must place himself under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months post release and abstain from the possession or use of illicit substances. Judge Hayes also directed that Mallinson has no contact directly or indirectly with the victim or her family.