Co Antrim man who physically and sexually assaulted his partner handed three-year sentence

A three-year sentence was handed to a Co Antrim man on Thursday for physically and sexually assaulted his partner.

The 56-year old, who can’t be named to protect the identify of the injured party, was told by Judge Gordon Kerr KC that he will serve 18 months in prison followed by 18 months on licence upon his release from custody.

Despite his initial denials to the PSNI, the defendant admitted three charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of sexual assault - all of which were aggravated by way of involvement of domestic abuse. All the offences were committed on July 2 and 3, 2022 at the former couple’s home.

Belfast Crown Court heard that around 7pm on July 2, the injured party returned home and found the defendant drinking and in a bad mood. She said she was going for a bath and an early night and went upstairs.

The defendant followed her into a bedroom and assaulted her by grabbing her pony tail. Once he got her on the floor, he then kicked and punched her whilst verbally abusing her.

The defendant was aware that his partner has been the victim of a prior sexual assault, and during the incident, he told her he was going to rape her.

A struggle between the couple ensued then the defendant sexually assaulted her. Following this, she was able to eject him from the room and push the bed against the door to prevent him getting back in. Over the course of the next 12 hours, the defendant continued drinking, verbally abusing the woman and banging on the bedroom door.

At around 6am on July 3, she needed to use the toilet but was scared to leave the room. She threw a plate out of the window in the hope that the defendant would hear the noise outside and go back down the stairs.

This action has the desired effect but as she removed the bed from against the door in a bid to use the bathroom, the defendant ran back up the stairs and launched another assault upon her.

During this attack, she was repeatedly punched. She lifted a hairbrush and hit him with it and he pulled her hair with such force that clumps of her hair came out. The injured party managed to grab her phone and run to the bathroom where she called her father.

A third assault then took place during which she was once again punched and trailed by her hair into another bedroom. As the attack continued, she believed he would kill her so screamed out.

Two neighbours then called at the house and they were able to remove her from the property. A short time later, both the injured party’s parents and the police arrived. The defendant was arrested and during an interview he denied punching or sexually assaulting his partner. Instead, he made the case that she attacked him as she was annoyed he was drinking.

Judge Kerr highlighted several aggravating factors in the case including the defendant punching and kicking his partner whilst she was on the ground and the sexual assault committed against the backdrop of her previous experience.

The Judge said he had also read and considered a statement made by the injured party who spoke of the ‘irreversible’ harm caused and the nightmares she now suffers.

Regarding the defendant, Judge Kerr spoke of his “difficulties” with alcohol and mental health and the “therapeutic” steps he has taken to address these issues as well as his offending behaviour.

The defendant told Probation that due to his alcohol consumption, he remembers very little about the incident but acknowledged that his behaviour was ‘out of control’.

Also taken into consideration by the Judge were the defendant’s clear criminal record and his good working history. Branding the incident as “an extremely bad example of domestic violence”, Judge Kerr imposed the three-year sentence and also placed the defendant on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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