Armoy man fined for contact with ex-partner

John Neil McMullan (28) of Glenshesk Road appeared before North Antrim Magistrates Court in Coleraine on Friday to admit two charges of breaching non-molestation orders and one charge of criminal damage.

A second charge of criminal damage was withdrawn by the prosecution.

The court was told police were called to a domestic disturbance at a property in Castle Street, Ballycastle on 26 July last year.

McMullan was standing outside the house when officers arrived.

The injured party told police the defendant has smashed two windows of her shed.

His presence at the house breached a non-molestation order previously put in place by the court and he was arrested for the breach and criminal damage.

The injured party contacted police later that evening to say McMullan had been phoning her, thus breaching the non-molestation order again.

When being arrested by police for the second time, he said: “I only wanted to speak to my son.”

A defence lawyer told the court his client has regular contact with his child and was currently on speaking terms with his former partner, the child’s mother.

He said McMullan - a joiner - was assured by the child’s mother that even though they had broken up he could still have regular access to the child.

The lawyer said his client had been inundated with more than 200 text messages from his former partner which he had saved on his phone.

“She invited him down and both parties had relations,” said the lawyer.

“He then left the premises to go to Rathlin Island but received a further text message inviting him back and he responded.

“He was about to leave and she wouldn’t let him leave the premises.

“He got out and in frustration broke the windows.”

The lawyer said McMullan and his father had since repaired the damage.

“This was not all entirely his fault,” said the lawyer.

“Several messages were sent to him which he unfortunately succumbed to.”

District Judge Richard Wilson fined McMullan 100 for each of the three charges.

“Now get that paid off,” said Mr Wilson.