MAN HANDED 59-MONTH SENTENCE FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE IN BELFAST
A man was today handed a 59-month sentence for domestic abuse offences.Colin Adair was told he would spend half the sentence in custody with the remainder on supervised licence on his release from Maghaberry Prison.
Prosecution counsel David Russell KC told Judge Gordon Kerr KC: "This was a prolonged incident between 9pm and 6am the following morning involving punches and kicks." He said that about 9pm, Adair became nasty to the victim "which was a pattern" of their six-month relationship.
During the assault, Adair was "on top of the victim who was lying on the floor with his hands around her neck and she described how she couldn't breathe.
He also punched her to her ear." The court heard that during the prolonged attack the victim urinated three times and was sick once.
The victim later told police that the "more I screamed the more he put his hands around my throat." She said he also put his fingers up her nose and down her throat until "blood came out." Adair then grabbed the broken glass and sliced his wrist, threatening to tell police she had done it to him.
Judge Gordon Kerr KC said in a Victim Impact Statement the complainant said she is now living in England and suffers from "panic attacks, nightmares and flashbacks." The victim wrote: "No matter what happens with the defendant I will never feel safe to live in Northern Ireland again." Judge Kerr imposed a seven-year restraining order on Adair but said a Violent Offences Prevention Order was "not required in this case."
