Downpatrick man jailed for violent assault on wife

Downpatrick man jailed for violent assault on wife

15 July 2015

A DOWNPATRICK man who headbutted his wife in a “persistent and violent assault” is behind bars.

Michael O’Connor (45), of Glebetown Drive, was sent to jail for 10 months at Downpatrick Court on Thursday but is to appeal the sentence.

At the contested hearing O’Connor denied headbutting and kicking his wife as well as shouting abuse at her in a domestic incident in March.

His wife, who is separated from O’Connor, told the court she had let him into her house and they were watching TV when he started a row.

“He was calling me foul names,” she said. “I got up and went to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. He followed me in and came into my face and headbutted me a couple of times.”

More name calling and accusations followed and later that night the woman reported being hit around her head and being kicked to her hip.

“He said ‘why do you do this to me, why do you make me do this’,” she told the court.

A defence barrister questioned why it had taken her two days to contact police.

She responded: “I was not going to do it. Then I realised I had had enough.”

Responding to questions over why she had let O’Connor into her house in the first place, she said it was easier than causing a scene and potentially having her house damaged.

Giving his evidence, O’Connor said he had been invited round to the house that evening and it was 

his estranged wife who had started a row.

“She was slabbering about me going away,” he said.

Asked if he had carried out any assault, he replied “definitely not”.

“I never assaulted her at all,” he said.

Deputy District Judge Alan White told the defendant: “I do not believe a word of it.”

Slamming his “atrocious” record the judge said: “This is in my view a persistent and violent assault on a woman. You have contested this case and called her a liar.”

Before sentencing, O’Connor’s defence barrister said his client had been battling a drug addiction.

“This is a man who needs help more than anything else,” he said.

A 10-month custodial sentence and a three-year restraining order were then imposed and O’Connor’s 

barrister indicated he was to appeal the sentence. 

Judge White refused to grant bail pending the appeal and remanded O’Connor in custody.

He told O’Connor that, if he wished to, he could take his bail application to the High Court in Belfast.