Man with 72 previous convictions jailed for assault on pregnant partner

A man who subjected his pregnant partner to what a judge called "a prolonged period of domestic terrorism involving several non-fatal strangulations", has been jailed for fifty-two months at Derry Crown Court.

Gary Neeson, (31) whose address was given as Maghaberry Prison pleaded guilty to five charges of domestic violence involving assaults, harassment and pursuing a course of conduct that amounted to domestic abuse on various dates August 1 2022 and February 23 2023.

The offences occurred at several locations in Derry, Donegal and Strabane.

A prosecution barrister told Judge Neil Rafferty KC that one of the assaults which involved strangulation occurred during what was supposed to have been a romantic overnight stay in the Everglades Hotel when she was three months pregnant with Neeson's child.

Neeson, who had 72 previous convictions, many of them for domestic abuse assaults on his former girlfriends some of whom were pregnant, has been assessed by the probation service as not being dangerous.

Judge Rafferty said initially he struggled with the non-dangerous assessment provided by a highly experienced probation officer, but said he was "persuaded and assuaged by the fact that this defendant will be subjected to the most robust post release probation package available".

The prosecutor told the court that during one of the assaults "the victim said the defendant's teeth were baring and she said he looked evil. She scratched him to try to get him off her but her arms lost power and she closed her eyes. She thought she was going to die and felt there was no power in her body. The defendant then stopped strangling her and at that point she had urinated herself during the strangulation. The following day she was medically examined and found to have burst blood vessels on her face and neck".

Judge Rafferty said Neeson's criminality in the case involved coercive control, violence and isolation as well as Neeson "turning the tables on the victim to make the victim feel they're responsible. It also involved the humiliation of her in public".

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He said Neeson had subjected his victim to a campaign of domestic abuse.

"He has a significant record of domestic abuse with other parties and using non-fatal strangulation as a method of domestic terrorism and coercive control. This woman was strangled beyond unconsciousness.

"It is absolutely clear this woman must have the full protection of the court, therefore in addition to the fifty-two month jail sentence I am imposing a restraining order for five years during which he must have no contact whatsoever with the injured party in this case", he added.