A judge in Derry has said that courts are “determined” to stamp out crimes involving domestic abuse.
District Judge Barney McElholm made the comments after he jailed Kieran Breslin (44) of Duncreggan Road in Derry for 15 months on a charge of non fatal strangulation of his then partner on July 7.
Appearing at Derry Magistrates Court Breslin also admitted a charge of threatening to kill the woman, assaulting her and breaching a non molestation order in the same date.
Judge McElholm, who described the offences as “very serious”, added there had been “an explosion” of strangulation offences in recent years.
The court was told at around 10.45pm there was a dropped 999 call during which ‘a disturbance’ could be heard in the background.
A woman’s voice could be heard saying “you put your hands around my neck”.
Police traced the call to the defendant’s phone and attended and found Breslin and a woman present.
The woman told them that there had been an argument upstairs and Breslin followed her downstairs.
She said he grabbed her by the throat and squeezed until she passed out.
She also said he pushed her across a coffee table, threatened to kill her and punched her around the head several times.
The defendant claimed that the woman had attacked him.
At interview Breslin said he had no memory of what had happened and accepted he had gone to the woman’s home in breach of the order.
Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said his client waived his right to a pre-sentence report.
He said he accepts and regrets his behaviour and added that Breslin was trying to get his life on track.
He sentenced Breslin to 15 months in prison.
