Man charged with domestic abuse charges, including false imprisonment at Derry Court
Darren O'Neill (28) of the Strand Road in Derry was charged with the offences that were said to have taken place between June 6 and 10 this year
A man has appeared at Derry Magistrates Court charged with a number of domestic abuse charges, including false imprisonment.
Darren O'Neill (28) of the Strand Road in Derry was charged with the offences that were said to have taken place between June 6 and 10 this year.
O'Neill's former partner attended the police station on June 10, saying she had been assaulted by her former partner.
She told police that O'Neill had turned up to her apartment on June 6 drunk and assaulted her repeatedly, also breaking her phone when he threw it to the ground.
She also said that the assault had been witnessed by two friends.
The court heard that O'Neill was then said to have fallen asleep and, upon waking up the next day, ordered the two friends to leave.
When they did so he allegedly continued to assault the victim.
The woman said that, on June 7, he pressured her for sex even though she made it clear she did not want it.
O'Neill was then said to have refused to leave, verbally abusing her and pulling her by the hair.
He was also said to have thrown a screwdriver at her, narrowly missing her, and hitting her with a Sky remote before punching holes in her bathroom door.
The victim told police that she had been too scared to leave her apartment and police noticed multiple injuries consistent with what she had alleged.
When interviewed by police, O'Neill gave no comment answers to all questions.
Police said however, they did notice injuries to his knuckles that matched the allegations of the woman.
The court heard that O'Neill had 37 previous convictions for assault and was on bail.
He had also been charged with nom-fatal strangulation of the same victim.
Police objected to bail as they said there was a clear risk of further offences.
Defence solicitor Jack Quigley said that it was an 'extremely difficult' bail application, telling the court that the issues were between 'two alcoholics'.
District Judge Barney McElhom said that he would consider bail if O'Neill 'didn't have a relevant record', denying the application as he said O'Neill was 'too high a risk'.
He will appear again on June 20.