Clump of hair pulled from woman’s head

And she also claimed that her ex-partner had made a gesture across his neck saying she would never leave Ireland and he would cut her throat.

Nicolae Puschi (45), Obins Street, Portadown, was in Craigavon Magistrates Court last Wednesday for sentencing on three charges.

He had admitted making a threat to kill her on May 5 last year and on May 6 assault occasioning her actual bodily harm and making a threat to kill her.

The case had been adjourned from a previous court to obtain a pre-sentence report.

The court heard that police were called to the injured party’s flat by neighbours due to an ongoing domestic dispute.

A large clump of hair had been pulled from her head and there were marks around her face and neck.

She said she had been assaulted by her ex-partner who had left the property.

There had been previous domestic incidents between the couple but this was the first time the injured party was willing to make a complaint.

Puschi admitted pushing her and slapping her once but denied everything else. He claimed the clump of hair came from a brush. He also denied making any threats.

The prosecutor also applied for a restraining order.

A solicitor representing the defendant said he knew his behaviour was completely unacceptable and added that in the probation report her client had been assessed as a medium likelihood of re-offending.

The solicitor added that there had been nothing else happened in the last year.

District Judge Steven Keown told Puschi that he was ‘sorely tempted to send you to jail’ but that would not address the underlying issues.

He imposed a three year probation order ‘as a direct alternative to custody’ and a restraining order, also for three years.

Judge Keown warned the defendant that if there was any further offending he would be going to prison.

“You put one foot wrong and breach the probation order you will be going straight to jail,” he told Puschi.