Jail sentence for man who assaulted his wife and told a child 'did you know your mother wanted to abort you?'
A Co Antrim man who assaulted his wife and said to a child “did you know your mother wanted to abort you?” has received a four-month jail term.
Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told the defendant had pleaded guilty to assault and possessing cocaine.
The court was told that at 6.30am on a day last June the defendant shouted abuse at his wife in a kitchen saying she was an "unfit mother" and had called her "various slurs" like "tart and tramp”.
The defendant slapped her on the neck causing her to fall onto a sofa.
The defendant followed her upstairs and told a child “did you know your mother wanted to abort you?”
The prosecutor told the court the children were "crying and upset".
The court heard the woman attempted to leave the property with the children and the defendant said “he would kill himself if she took the children”.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said: “He threatened self harm? That is a clear red flag in domestic abuse".
The woman left the property with the children, the court heard.
The defendant was located by police and was in possession of cocaine.
A defence barrister said it was accepted it had been a "serious" incident.
The defendant is not being named to protect the identity of the children.
Judge Broderick said it had been a "despicable assault".
He said that “no doubt" the children "have been emotionally traumatised”.
The judge added: "One should never under-estimate the impact of domestic violence, not only on the victim, but also on those children who view it".
The defendant was given a four-month prison term and a two-year Restraining Order was put in place.
He was given £500 bail for appeal.