Co Antrim: Judge said woman could have died after partner punched her head following a wedding
A judge said a woman could have been killed after being punched in the head by her partner following a wedding.
District Judge Nigel Broderick was speaking at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday (October 22) where the 28-year-old man pleaded guilty to assault.
Dara Kerr, with an address listed as Knowehead Road, Broughshane, also assaulted his partner's stepdad on the same day - May 16 this year.
A prosecutor said the defendant and his partner had been at a wedding at the Dunadry Hotel and "there had been an issue there and they had returned to their home address in Larne".
During an "argument", the defendant "pushed the injured party to the chest while outside the address and then there is a punch to the left side of her head. You can see that on the CCTV". Footage was played to the court.
The woman's stepdad had attended and was in a vehicle outside the property when the defendant reached in the driver side window and punched him, "on his account, 10 to 12 times to the chest in quick succession".
A defence barrister said the defendant accepted alcohol had been an issue and he had no drink since the incidents. The court was told Kerr and his partner have "reconciled".
Judge Broderick told the defendant the video was "very concerning as it shows a wholly gratuitous punch, violence, to your female partner."
He added: "She fell to the ground and there are far too may cases - they are called one-punch cases - were somebody is punched, they fall to the ground, they hit their head on a hard surface and sadly lose their lives, far too many tragic cases of that nature. This could have happened here."
Added the judge: "It appears that for whatever reason the victim has reconciled with you so I hope there is going to be no repetition of this appalling behaviour."
He said Kerr had no relevant record and there had been a plea of guilty "so as a direct alternative to imprisonment, not without hesitation," he ordered him to do 180 hours of Community Service.