Firefighter who assaulted his wife attended a police station to report the matter
A firefighter who pushed his wife causing her to fall and lose consciousness attended Antrim PSNI Station to report the matter.
William Shiels (54), of Brantwood Gardens in Antrim town, was sentenced on a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm relating to September 25 last year.
A prosecutor told Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, that on October 4 the defendant had gone to the police station and told police he had "assaulted his wife by pushing her causing her to fall and hit her head".
Police spoke to his wife and she said that on September 25 around 8.45pm following an argument the defendant placed both hands on her and pushed her causing her to fall through a doorway into a bedroom in their home.
She told police she hit her head off an unknown object, "waking up on the floor emotional and dazed".
The defendant was arrested and told police he had gone to do "some paperwork at a computer" and he was sitting at the computer when his wife was standing near him and was calling him a "narcissist" and he pushed her and accepted he "had hurt her".
The defendant had a clear record. A Victim Impact Statement was provided to the court. A defence barrister said the couple "intend to reconcile".
The barrister said the Victim Impact Report showed the defendant's wife said he "had never been aggressive towards her" and that the incident was "entirely out of character".
The barrister said that "in quite an unusual circumstance it was the defendant himself who reported the matter to police".
She said the defendant had an "unblemished career" with the Fire Service - he has 30 years service - and because of the court case the defendant was "unofficially told that he is most likely going to be fired or demoted".
She said the defendant "has always maintained his remorse".
District Judge Nigel Broderick said the victim's statement said she believed the actions were "completely out of character and were not premeditated but regrettably were reckless as she believes that you lost control in the spur of the moment".
The defendant was ordered to do 120 hours of Community Service.