Man, who claimed partner hit herself with a bottle, jailed for nine months

A man who threw a bottle at his former partner tried to tell police she had hit herself with it.

Alan Hanley (37) of no fixed abode admitted a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on the woman on May 12 this year.

The court heard that police received a 999 call from the victim who said her partner, the accused, was refusing to leave the house.

She said she was currently locked in the bathroom. 

When police arrived they found the woman with 'visible injuries' including blood on her face and on her foot.

She said there had been a verbal altercation and she had asked Hanley to leave. 

The woman said Hanley had then thrown a glass bottle that smashed on her head and also stood on her foot causing injuries there. 

The defendant was found nearby and when cautioned told a police officer 'f--k off you P--i b-----d'.

When interviewed he told police he had gone to get his belongings and had returned and saw the woman hit herself with the glass bottle. 

Defence counsel Liam McStay said that this was 'an on off relationship' and despite Hanley being convicted of assaulting the same woman they had gone back into a relationship.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that this offence was aggravated by domestic abuse made worse by the fact that he had previously assaulted the same woman. 

He added that further aggravation came due to the use of a bottle. 

Hanley was jailed for nine months.