Woman secures emergency protection order against husband denying child's eating disorder

A woman in Dublin secured a protection order against her husband at the Dublin District Family Court on Friday, citing concerns over her safety and her husband’s refusal to acknowledge their child’s eating disorder. Judge John Brennan heard the emergency application, where the woman described years of coercive control, including allegations that her husband dismissed their child’s anorexia as a fabrication and refused to vaccinate the children during the Covid-19 pandemic. The temporary protection order, granted ex parte, remains in effect until a full hearing, with potential legal consequences should the husband violate its terms.

The woman told the court that her husband, who she described as severely underweight and rarely eating, does not accept anorexia as a legitimate mental illness. She claimed he blamed their child for the family’s distress, calling the situation “hell” for the child. The woman also alleged that her husband exhibited controlling behavior, restricting her social interactions during the pandemic and making threatening remarks over minor expenses, such as spending €4 on a hot chocolate for their child. During the pandemic, she claimed he defied public health guidelines and prevented her from vaccinating their children, describing the period as “horrendous.”

The woman said she felt unsafe in her own home, with “tenseness” permeating the household. She recounted that her younger child had begged her to make her husband leave. She also expressed concern over her husband’s recent remarks, including claims that Covid-19 lockdowns were a conspiracy. “It’s very sad; I think my husband’s not well,” she told the court. Judge Brennan granted the temporary protection order, which could lead to her husband’s arrest if he causes her to fear for her safety.

In another case heard the same day, a woman was granted a protection order against her former partner after alleging he strangled her and fractured her nose during an assault. She recounted that the man, who she said had a history of violence, sat on her chest and choked her, stopping only when she told him he would kill her. The incident occurred days after they attended a pub event. The woman said she reported the assault to An Garda Síochána and feared further escalation, as the man had allegedly threatened to “destroy” her life. Judge Brennan, satisfied that a protection order was necessary, granted the emergency order until a full hearing.

These cases highlight the ongoing use of emergency protection orders in Dublin’s family courts, where victims of alleged domestic abuse, coercive control, and violence seek legal safeguards. The orders, granted ex parte, provide temporary relief until full hearings can be held.

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