BBC
Bishop Street Court, Londonderry
The judge described domestic violence as a “scourge on society” and warned that anyone involved in it would be jailed.
Judge Neil Rafferty KC sentenced Alex Crawford, from Kinsale Park, Derry, to prison at Londonderry Crown Court on Monday for a series of domestic offences which took place between October 1 and November 15, 2022.
The 25-year-old was sentenced to 12 months in prison.
He will be in custody for six months and will be on parole for the remainder.
The court was told police were on patrol in the Fountain area of the city when they were stopped by a member of the public who claimed a man was trying to break into a house.
Police spoke with the woman, who said she had been in a relationship with the defendant but that it had ended.
She said she told him she would leave his belongings outside his door.
But when she opened the door to do so, he forced his way inside.
The woman said she tried to leave, but Crawford blocked her by holding her arms and slamming the door.
She also told police about numerous assaults by the defendant.
In one incident, the defendant “strangled her in some way” and hit her in the ribs with his knee, the court was told.
Judge Rafferty said non-fatal strangulation was a “serious matter” but that it was not a clearly defined crime at the time.
He said the only offence the defendants were charged with was common assault and “did not touch on the seriousness of the offence”.
In addition to the 12 month sentence, the judge imposed a five-year restraining order.
The specific offence of non-fatal strangulation first became law in Northern Ireland on 26 June 2023.
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