Assaulted his ex-partner

A Lurgan man threatened to cut his ex-partner’s throat and get masked men to sort her out, Craigavon Magistrates Court heard last Friday.

He was 50 year old Paul Oliver Heaney, Church Walk, Lurgan, and he faced a series of charges.

They included disorderly behaviour at Church Walk on December 13 last year, resisting a constable, two assaults on police, making a threat to kill and assault on a female.

He was also charged with making a threat to kill a female on December 7 and a similar charge on December 8.

The court heard that on December 8 Heaney was arrested after police received a report from his ex-partner that he had made a threat to kill her.

On December 13 he said he was going to “get three masked men to sort you out.”

Heaney than came to her home and assaulted her by pushing her on the shoulder and shouting at her.

He struggled with police and an officer sustained an ankle injury.

A barrister for the defendant said he had been in custody since December 13 but had been released in February only to be returned to custody the same day.

She explained that Heaney had a long standing drink problem and on his release from prison he would be seeking help from his GP and getting antibuse tablets.

The barrister said the defendant was no longer in a relationship with the injured party and if there were any further offences it was inevitable what was going to happen to him. There was no contact between the parties.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, imposed a two year probation order with the condition that Heaney takes part in work to deal with domestic abuse.

Judge Bates also imposed a two year restraining order with the conditions that Heaney does not contact the injured party and does not go within 50 yards of her or her home.