Derry man charged with breaching a non-molestation order

A man has appeared at Derry Magistrates Court charged with breaching a non-molestation order.

Column Hampson (47) of Canterbury Park in Derry was charged with breaching a non-molestation order against his former partner.

Hampson was on bail with conditions including not making any contact with his former partner or to ender the area where she lived.

His former partner told police that Hampson had, on February 10, entered the area he had been excluded from and, on February 28, had sent her a number of messages on Facebook.

Police opposed bail, telling the court that there was a clear risk he would breach again.

Defence solicitor Keith Kyle said that Hampson had 'made clear admissions' to the breach but that his only motivation was to check on the wellbeing of his two children.

District Judge Barney McElhom said, when considering the application, that 'what can seem relatively harmless' could actually be coersive control, telling the victim 'I'm still in charge here'.

He added that some of the worst incidents of domestic abuse were not physical.

He granted bail as Hampson had no relevant record, under the conditions that he has no contact whatsoever with his former partner and all content with his children be made through an agreed third party.

He will appear again on March 13.