A 46-year-old man has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison today for physically abusing his former partner, who recently waived her anonymity to advocate for a change in how men and boys in Northern Ireland treat women and girls.

Lorn McLuckie was jailed at Belfast Crown Court for two years and six months, having been convicted of grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The court heard that on one occasion, McLuckie attacked his ex-partner, 48-year-old Eva Komuves, leaving her with significant facial injuries.

McLuckie will serve 15 months in custody, followed by 15 months on licence.

Detective Chief Inspector Jill Duffie detailed the assault "On 11th 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."

DCI Duffie highlighted the lasting impact of the abuse on Ms Komuves, who has undergone multiple surgeries and extensive counselling to recover from the ordeal. She added: "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 Komuves recently spoke at the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) launch of their 'Power to Change' campaign, urging men and boys to take responsibility in changing cultural and societal attitudes. The campaign, which began in January, challenges men and boys across Northern Ireland to examine and modify their behaviour towards women and girls, encouraging them to reject negative attitudes and intervene safely to stop behaviour that could escalate.

Reflecting on her experience, Ms Komuves 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 about the 'Power to Change' campaign, DCI Duffie clarified its aims: "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

powertochange.info/