A woman awarded €150,000 in damages after being severely beaten by the father of her two children said she hopes the ruling will encourage other victims of domestic violence to come forward.

Former soldier Jonathan McSherry (36), formerly of Cedarbrook Walk, Cherry Orchard, Dublin, who served 22 months of a three-and-a-half year prison sentence for the attack on Jessica Bowes, accepted he broke nearly every bone in her face and kicked her a number of times during a horror attack in December 2015.

He had apologised and her case against him was before the High Court for assessment of damages yesterday. CCTV footage of the attack showed McSherry dragging Ms Bowes from the taxi, punching, kicking and dragging her along the ground. She lost consciousness twice in the attack which lasted more than a minute and a half before she crawled into a neighbour’s house.

Speaking to the Irish Independent last night after the damages ruling, Ms Bowes said: “I also hope this will act as a deterrent, that people will realise there are possible large financial consequences as well as the threat of prison for this sort of violence.

“It’s important for women to realise help is there for them, from places like Women’s Aid. That there is legal advice for them, and professional help is available.”

The court heard McSherry owns two properties in Cavan, one of which he transferred into his mother’s name in 2017. Ms Justice Bronagh O’Hanlon found Ms Bowes’s account of the incident was factually correct. In the circumstances, the appropriate award was €150,000, she said.

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