Derry man jailed for 15 months for series of domestic abuse offences
Kieran Breslin (44) of Duncreggan Road in Derry to 15 months in custody for a charge of non-fatal strangulation of his then partner on July 7 this year
A judge at Derry Magistrate’s Court has said that the courts are ‘determined’ to stamp out crimes involving domestic abuse.
District Judge Barney McElholm made his comments after he sentenced Kieran Breslin (44) of Duncreggan Road in Derry to 15 months in custody for a charge of non-fatal strangulation of his then partner on July 7 this year.
Breslin also admitted a charge of threatening to kill the woman, assaulting her and breaching a non-molestation order in the same date.
The court was told at around 10.45pm there was a dropped 999 call during which ‘a disturbance’ could be heard in the background.
A woman’s voice could be heard saying ‘you put your hands around my neck’.
Police traced the call to the defendant’s phone and attended and found Breslin and a woman present.
The woman told them that there had been an argument upstairs and Breslin followed her downstairs.
She said he grabbed her by the throat and squeezed until she passed out.
She also said he pushed her across a coffee table, threatened to kill her and punched her to the head several times.
The defendant claimed that the woman had attacked him.
At interview Breslin said he had no memory of what had happened and accepted he had gone to the woman’s home in breach of the order.
Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said his client waived his right to a pre-sentence report.
He said he ‘accepts and regrets’ his behaviour and added that Breslin was trying to get his life on track.
Judge McElhom said the offences were ‘very serious’ and added there had been ‘an explosion’ of strangulation offences in recent years.
He sentenced Breslin to 15 months in prison.