A CARLISLE man who was previously accused of hitting his partner with an iron bar flouted a court’s order by speaking to her.

George Kirkpatrick, 46, who admitted breaching the order, came to the attention of the police on September 4 after officers who were on patrol spotted him sitting on a wall outside a Wigton Road pharmacy with the woman as he talked to her.

The terms of domestic violence protection order (DVPO) that was still in force included a prohibition of the defendant having any contact with the woman.

Gemma Rogerson, for Cumbria Police, outlined the facts.

She described how the original order was imposed on August 27 following a ruling that the defendant had been violent towards the woman.

He was alleged to have used a metal bar to strike the woman “with force,” causing bruising to her stomach.

The domestic violence protection order that resulted from the allegation was the latest in a series of such orders, with Kirkpatrick having breached them three times. One of those offences led to a two-week jail term.

“He should know that the purpose of the order is to protect [the woman] for 28 days to allow her space and time following the incidents,” said Miss Rogerson. The woman originally supported the police action to protect her.

She was willing to give a statement.

But the woman changed her mind when police returned on a later date to formally take the statement, the court heard. The latest breach of a domestic violence protection order showed the defendant’s lack of respect for the court’s authority, added Miss Rogerson.

It was accepted that the encounter between Kirkpatrick and the woman on September 4 involved no violence.

Duncan Campbell, defending, said the woman had made a point of going to the pharmacy to see Kirkpatrick because he had not contacted her and she could not understand what that was the case. She had crossed the road to speak to him.

“He was trying to explain that with a DVPO in place he wasn’t allowed to talk to her,” said Mr Campbell. “There was nothing else untoward.”

District Judge John Temperley accepted that there was no evidence to contradict the defendant’s version of what happened.

Kirkpatrick, of Brownrigg Drive, Carlisle, could have explained briefly about the court order and walked away.

“But clearly you were engaged in a conversation,” said the judge. He fined Kirkpatrick £300, pointing out that any further breach of the order may not be dealt with so leniently.