Joseph Martin Healy has been handed a 12 year sentence for the rape of his heavily pregnant partner. The Crown Court in Derry heard today how the man also urinated on his victim’s face, scraped her with a knife and choked her during his assaults.
Judge Philip Babington said the sexual and physical violence by Healy was one of the worst the court have heard in a long time.
Healy stood emotionless while the court heard the eight charges to which he pleaded guilty to.
The assault took place between February and September 2013, on his pregnant partner who was aged 20 at the time.
Judge Babington said the abuse took place on three consecutive mornings after the victim was awoken by Healy urinating on her face.
Healy also subjected his partner to what she described to the police as “donkey kicking” by punching her to the head and body to heighten his sexual feelings during intercourse.
Healy’s arrest followed a report to the police by the victim in September 2013. He admitted the physical abuse but denied the sexual assaults.
One on occasion after abusing his partner, Healy then assaulted her mother. He was jailed for eighteen months for that offence in January of last year.
A victim impact report compiled by a consultant psychiatrist stated that the victim had suffered considerably psychological damage.
Judge Babington said: “There was humiliating violence over and above the sexual offending.
“There is no doubt that this offending was all carried out during a time when the victim was, in effect, dictated to by the defendant. There is a not insignificant age gap of some five years which may well be very relevant. There has been a lasting impact on the victim and one can only hope that she and her child will have a good future.”
In addition to his 12 year sentence, Healy will also be subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Legislation for an indefinite period.
The judge told Healy: “If you had contested these matters and had been found guilty by a jury, I would have imposed a sentence of 16 years.”