Pregnant woman left with black eye after waking partner

Twenty-five-year-old Sebastian Adrian Nowak from King Street, Magherafelt, admitted charges of assaulting a female, damaging a TV, a window and door.

Deputy District Judge Philip Mateer was told last Wednesday that the offences arose out of a domestic incident on January 15 this year.

The court heard the injured party has since left Magherafelt and gone back to her native Poland.

Prosecution counsel said at 3pm the defendant assaulted his partner, who had returned home from work and woke him up while he was sleeping.

He said Nowak took exception at being disturbed and in a verbal argument he struck the victim on the face and left her with a black eye which was later observed by the police.

Counsel said the defendant then kicked and damaged a TV costing £319.

The prosecutor said the offences were reported to police and the victim, who was pregnant with the defendant’s child, had temporarily left the dwelling to stay with friends.

When police attended the address they found the defendant asleep in the living room and discovered damage had been caused to a window and rear entry door, counsel continued.

He added that Nowak was arrested and during interview made an admission to kicking the TV and no comment to the assault and other matters.

A defence barrister stressed that the defendant had no previous convictions and has been working in a bakery in Magherafelt.

He said he had been granted bail on his first appearance subject to a suitable address being available. “He has now served the equivalent of a four-month sentence,” he explained.

He stressed while domestic violence is always serious and abhorrent particularly as the complainant was with child at the time, he pleaded with the court to give the defendant maximum credit for his early plea and clear record.

Deputy District Judge Mateer told Nowak, who appeared in court by video link, that he took into account that he had admitted the offences which meant he would receive a lesser sentence than had he pleaded not guilty.

He said he also took into account that he was still only 25 with no previous convictions and has served the equivalent of a four-month sentence.

Mr Mateer warned the defendant that if he committed any further offences during the 12 months he would end up serving this time along with any additional sentence imposed by the court.

The judge added that he would not make any order in relation to costs as the complainant had left the jurisdiction.