assault and burglary | 

Man (25) climbed in ex’s window and hit her after she refused to let him in

Natahn Masinga, an apprentice electrician of Drumcairn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to assault and burglary.

Today at 08:21

A father-of-one broke into his ex-partner’s home, burgled it and struck her on the ear after she refused to let him in, a court heard.

Nathan Masinga (25) climbed in through the kitchen window and hit his child’s mother during the dispute.

Judge John Hughes gave him a four-month suspended sentence and told him to pay €1,900 compensation at Dublin District Court.

Masinga, an apprentice electrician of Drumcairn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to assault and burglary.

Garda Niall White said he went to the victim’s home in Rialto on May 31, 2022. She told him Masinga had arrived that day and when she refused him entry, he kicked the front door and climbed in through the kitchen window.

He struck her on the ear before leaving the apartment with two jackets and a phone. He returned them on a later date.

The victim suffered light bruising to the left side of her head and was treated in hospital.

Judge Hughes asked if the assault had been a punch and the garda said it was “a strike of some sort” but he was not sure.

Masinga’s only prior conviction was for a motoring offence.

The court heard the accused and the victim had been in a relationship for a number of years.

Masinga said he had gone to the apartment “to bring supplies as requested” but was then told he was not welcome.

He was remorseful and accepted what he did was wrong, his lawyer said.

Judge Hughes said for some “extraordinary reason” the accused had seen fit to climb into the victim’s home and assault her.

He noted that Masinga had previously pleaded not guilty and “protested his innocence” up to the date of the hearing.