48-year-old Eva Komuves
A 46-year-old man has been jailed today, Tuesday 25 March for physical abuse against his ex-partner who recently waived her right to anonymity to call for a change to how men and boys in Northern Ireland treat women and girls.
Lorn McLuckie has been sentenced for grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. On one of the occasions when he physically attacked his ex-partner, 48-year-old Eva Komuves, he left her with serious facial injuries.
He was jailed today at Belfast Crown Court for two years and six months. He will serve 15 months in custody and 15 months on licence.
Detective Chief Inspector Jill Duffie, said:
“On 11 August 2023, an ambulance was called to a property in Belfast to tend to a seriously injured Eva, who, following a verbal altercation, was assaulted by Mr McLuckie who punched her in the mouth, causing her upper left palate and jaw to fracture and severe displacement of five teeth.
“Eva has suffered since through a number of surgeries and hours of counselling to try to heal from this horrific ordeal and other abuse she suffered.
“Too many in Northern Ireland are suffering behind closed doors and anyone can be the victim of domestic abuse. We are working around the clock to respond to domestic abuse incidents and encourage victims like Eva to feel confident to report to us so we can bring perpetrators before the courts.”
Eva recently spoke at the PSNI’s launch of their ‘Power to Change’ campaign, urging men and boys to help play their part in affecting a cultural and societal shift.
Since the launch of the campaign in January this year, men and boys across Northern Ireland are being challenged to check and change their behaviours towards women and girls, step away from negative attitudes and have the confidence to step in safely to put a stop to behaviour that might escalate.
Eva said:
“After an incident in 2023, I looked in the mirror and saw a desperate woman staring back, her mouth covered in blood, her teeth hanging by threads of gum in the middle.
“Unfortunately, my story is far from unique. In Northern Ireland, too many women and girls have suffered terribly at the hands of men. Many others have faced harassment on the street or in the workplace or been the subject of a sexist joke.
“These behaviours tend to go unchallenged because we rationalise as a society that ‘they aren’t committing a crime’. The ‘lad’ culture in Northern Ireland is accepted. It shouldn’t be.
“It rarely starts with a punch, but it ended that way for me. My message to any victim out there is, don’t suffer in silence. There is life after abuse if you take the brave step to reach out for help.”
Speaking on Power to Change, DCI Duffie adds:
“Power to Change is not necessarily about challenging someone and putting yourself in an unsafe situation.
“It’s about using this to start conversations that show men and boys clearly how misogynistic behaviours look and feel to those around them and sadly how they can escalate behind closed doors.”
Find out more about the campaign here.