A Carlow man has been found guilty of carrying out a violent attack on his former partner and threatening to shoot her.

Barry O’Donoghue (38) kicked and punched his victim in the face repeatedly and pulled her by the hair through his home.

He also made sinister threats to kill the woman, saying she could choose whether she wanted to be shot or stabbed to death.

O’Donoghue, of Mourne Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, but originally from Carlow, was this week found guilty of assault causing harm and making the threat to kill on October 20, 2016, at his home.

He was acquitted on two other counts of false imprisonment and a threat to kill the woman’s female relative on the same date.

The victim (36) said the night of the attack would stay with her forever and she was “devastated” by the two not-guilty verdicts.

“I am content with the two guilty verdicts but I am devastated about the two not-guilty verdicts. It doesn’t change what happened that night and this will stay with me forever,” she said.

Last night, O’Donoghue spent his first night in custody after his bail was revoked following his conviction.

His victim told the court that he had been planning the assault for two years.

It can also now be revealed that a tracking device was previously placed under the woman’s car.

Gardaí suspect this was put there by O’Donoghue so he could spy on the woman.

A source last night said: “He made himself look respectable in court, but O’Donoghue is a dangerous man who carried out a lengthy and violent assault and showed absolutely no mercy.

“Investigating gardaí have to be commended for the level of work that went into this case.”

During the five-day trial, crucial evidence was given by the woman, her mother and Garda Keith O’Brien.

The woman told the court that she was punched and kicked in the face, pulled by the hair and kicked in the eye during the ordeal.

She said O’Donoghue told her he had been planning for two years “to hurt me and to kill me”.

She also gave evidence that he threatened to “shoot her in the face so her mother won’t be able to have an open casket”.

The jury of nine women and three men was also told that the woman told gardaí: “He knocked me to the ground and started to hit me and punch me.

“He kicked me into the eye. It was full-force and there seemed to be no mercy in it.”

The trial also heard that O’Donoghue denied striking, kicking or roaring at the woman.

When being quizzed by Gda O’Brien, he claimed she suffered injuries to her face after they struggled over her handbag.

The jury was shown images of the woman’s facial injuries during the trial, which Ronan Prendergast BL, prosecuting, said corroborated the woman’s account.

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