Judge Olann Kelleher imposed a five-month suspended jail term on Christopher Kuhn, aged 26, of Blarney St, Cork. The judge said, having heard background victim impact evidence, it must have been a frightening experience for the woman.

He warned Kuhn to have no contact, direct or indirect, with the victim; doing so would result in him having to serve a five-month jail term. Judge Kelleher said this includes not contacting her on Facebook or by any social media.

Judge Kelleher’s colleague, Judge Con O’Leary, heard the case and convicted Kuhn on the charge of assaulting Danielle Brady at Merchants Quay shopping centre on August 24, 2016.

Ms Brady testified that her ex-boyfriend grabbed her by the back of the neck, elbowed her in the side of the face and hit her on top of the head with a full 7-Up plastic bottle.

She said that as he left Merchants Quay, he said to her in a threatening manner, “I will see you very soon”.

She said he pointed the bottle at her when he allegedly said this.

Garda Don Coomey interviewed Kuhn about the allegations, outlining a domestic background to the encounter between the two parties.

Kuhn claimed Ms Brady was drinking a bottle of 7-Up at the time but that he did not hit her with it. He accepted that he did say he would see her very soon but was only referring to seeing her in court.

Judge O’Leary ruled that what happened was an assault by Kuhn on Ms Brady. He said there was a clear assault and there was a second assault in striking her with the bottle.