Ballymena district judge convicts man with 'propensity for violence' after hearing 'quite chilling' domestic abuse case
A court has heard how woman said her then partner threatened to stab her and her unborn baby.
Details were given as David Lavery (34), with an address listed as Glasgow Street in Belfast, was sentenced for domestic abuse between the start of 2023 and the end of January this year.
Ballymena Magistrates' Court heard the woman said the defendant was "jealous" and "paranoid", with a "bad temper" and she was "constantly walking on egg shells".
The woman said the defendant would "often threaten to kill himself in order to control her".
It was alleged he used a phone charger to try and strangle her and "threatened to stab her and her unborn baby".
The court heard that when interviewed by police the defendant denied the allegations.
He was convicted of domestic abuse at a contested hearing.
The court was told charges of threat to kill and non-fatal strangulation were dismissed.
He had a record of 24 previous convictions including assaulting a former partner in 2017.
A defence barrister said the defendant had ADHD and has "substance abuse" issues.
The lawyer said the defendant said his health condition "presents problems in terms of people understanding him", that people "don't see my point of view and they go out of their way to push my buttons".
District Judge Nigel Broderick said the case before the court was a "bad case of domestic abuse" and the facts are "quite chilling".
He said the defendant had a "propensity for violence".
The defendant was given an eight months jail term and a five-year Restraining Order was put in place.