Derry Court: Man (31) remanded following domestic violence incident in Derry hotel

Derry Magistrate's Court heard today how a man who was staying in a local hotel with his partner for her birthday was charged with assaulting her and threatening to kill her.

Patrick Sherry (31) with an address at Castle Hill Park in Ballygawley County Tyrone was charged with five offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, attempting to choke the same woman, threatening to kill her, falsely imprisoning her and possessing an offensive weapon namely an clothes iron.

All of the offences were said to have occurred on March 26.

A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail.

She told the court at 4.45am police were called to Da Vinci's Hotel in Derry due to a possible disturbance.

They were told that around 4.30am there was a report of a woman screaming.

A member of staff went to the room and knocked but there was no reply although they could hear a male voice.

The staff member warned that if the door was not opened police would be informed.

The court heard that the alleged victim opened the door and she had marks on her face and neck.

The woman was said to have been 'shaken and distressed' and was taken to the hotel lobby.

She spoke to police and said she had been in Derry with her partner, the accused, for her birthday and they had been out for the evening.

She alleged the defendant became 'very agitated' and made accusations against her.

He was said to have punched her, kicked her, squeezed her throat and then lifted a clothes iron and threatened to kill her.

The woman said at around 5.15am she received a text from Sherry just saying 'don't' which she took as a warning not to talk to police.

The woman attended Altnagelvin Hospital and while there were no broken bones there was 'a lot of muscle and tissue damage' and bruising to her neck and face.

At interview Sherry denied all the allegations.

Bail was opposed due to the risk of re-offending, interference with witnesses and also that the defendant was deemed to be a 'serial perpetrator of domestic abuse'.

The court heard that there had been incidents with two previous partners.

The police officer said that the woman was 'terrified' of the defendant and she believed he was going to attack her.

A defence barrister said his client was denying all the allegations which he accepted were serious.

He suggested Sherry be released on bail to an address approved by police. 

District Judge Barney McElholm said that Sherry was 'a totally unsuitable candidate for bail'.

He said it was 'an extremely serious assault' and the fact the strangulation had resulted in marks on the woman's neck suggested it was a more 'extreme' assault.

The judge said that this was one 'most serious' cases he had come across recently.

Bail was refused and Sherry was remanded in custody to appear again on April 20.