Rugby player's wife sentenced after domestic violence incidents

The wife of a former professional rugby player was sentenced after attacking her husband on a number of occasions. The court heard that the family problems started after the 23-year-old woman had doubts about his faithfulness.

The first assault occurred in March 2013 when she reportedly lunged at him with a knife following an argument, causing an injury to his shoulder, but he did not report the incident to the police at that time. The second incident occurred nearly two weeks later after she discovered her husband with someone else. The court heard that, on this occasion, she struck her husband in the face while he was carrying one of their children, and he later reported both incidents to the authorities.

The court was told that the man had written a victim impact statement that noted his embarrassment in describing the attacks to anyone else. He said that his former position as a professional sportsman and his physical size made telling friends and co-workers about the incidents difficult. The judge hearing the case said that laws regarding domestic violence must be applied to both men and women and that the assault was aggravated by the presence of the child. The woman pleaded guilty to both common assault and unlawful wounding, and she is required to undertake a 30-day treatment for offensive behaviour.

As in this case, victims of domestic assault, which include both physical abuse and emotional abuse, may be able to seek legal resolution to their unfortunate situations. Individuals who are suffering from sensitive family problems may wish to work with a solicitor who might be able to provide legal advice tailored to a client's circumstances.