County Derry man who acted as 'vigilante cowboy' remanded for possessing knuckle duster

A man has appeared at Derry Magistrates Court charged with possession of a knuckle duster and possessing drugs.

Mark Smith (28) of Queens Avenue in Magherafelt, was charged with, between December 4 and December 12, harrassing his former partner via phone calls and appearing at her house with a knuckle duster.

Police say they received a call from the alleged victim saying that Smith was outside her home tapping on her window with a knuckle duster.

The court heard that she had been having ongoing issues with him, receiving over one hundred phone calls since December 4, of which she only answered five, in which he would be shouting and screaming at her, calling her a drug dealer.

Smith also appeared at her house when the victim came home with the four year old son they share, shouting and repeating the allegations. 

The victim went inside her house and Smith began shouting at her to come out, eventually leaving but saying he'd be back later.

When police arrived at Smith's home they found a small amount of cannabis.

When interviewed by police, Smith repeated his claims that she was a drug dealer and said he simply wanted to sort her out. 

He also said that he would stab her and her partner, something he repeated again and again.

The victim was said to be terrified of Smith and police objected to bail saying that they had absolutely no confidence that he would stick to his bail conditions and that his risk of reoffending was extremely high.

Defence Barrister Sinead Rogan said that Smith had grave concerns about the victim and the child they share but added that his actions, as well as his statements to police, put the court in a 'difficult position'. 

She added that he believed his child was in 'grave danger'.

District Judge Barney McElhom, when hearing of Smith's concerns for his child, said that he should've gone to police or social services, rather than acting as some sort of 'vigilante cowboy'.

He added that, most of the time, when people make allegations such as this, there is nothing to them or they are projecting, that they themselves are the drug dealers.

Judge McElhom said that there was 'no proof' of the allegations, and that Smith could simply be jealous that the mother of his child has a new partner. 

Bail was denied and Smith will appear on January 10 in Magherafelt Court.