A counsellor is “in total fear” of an ex-client who he entered into an intimate and “toxic” relationship with, a Family Law Court has heard.
Judge Alec Gabbett granted the counsellor a domestic violence protection order against the woman after he outlined the grounds for his application.
He told the judge he had “engaged in a toxic relationship with a client at the end of the client relationship”.
“It has been five months of a relationship, sexual contact but no sex,” he said.
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Judge Gabbett said in order for him to grant a protection order, the man must confirm he had been in an intimate relationship with the woman.
“It was an intimate relationship,” he replied, adding that he had reported the matter to the professional body for counsellors.
Asked by the judge why he was bringing the application, the man said he has been subjected by the woman to daily threats of court action and gardaí “because of how the relationship started, and this kept me in it”.
“It increasingly got worse,” he said.
He said the woman last month arrived at a location “looking for my address” and that she had been sending messages to his wife.
“When my wife was ignoring them she sent messages through dummy accounts,” he said.
He said his children had been receiving messages from the same “dummy accounts” in recent days.
“To be honest with you I am in total fear at this stage,” the counsellor said.
Judge Gabbett asked the man whether the relationship had come to an end and the woman had not wanted it to.
“Basically yes,” the man replied.
Judge Gabbett asked: “You are in fear of this person?”
“One hundred per cent,” the counsellor replied.
Judge Gabbett said he would grant the protection order and directed that it be served on the woman.
If the woman breaches the order by communicating with the man, his wife or their children, she can be arrested without warrant by a garda and brought before a court.
The man made his application on an ex-parte basis, meaning only his side was represented in court.
Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to July when the woman will be able to contest the order or consent to a time limited safety order.
