Toomebridge man allegedly stamped on ex-girlfriend's back and throttled her, court told

Joseph Johnston, 42, is also accused of holding a knife to the woman’s throat and stabbing her with a pair of scissors.

Prosecutors claimed she was smothered with a cushion at one point during a suspected outburst of domestic violence.

Johnston, of Loughview Drive in Toomebridge, denies inflicting any injuries on her, telling police any bruises were due to a vitamin deficiency.

The plasterer faces eight charges, including attempted grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon, common assault and criminal damage over incidents on July 5 this year.

During an application for bail Crown counsel Iryna Kennedy said 999 calls to the emergency services claimed the woman had been attacked at a house in the Portglenone Road area of Randalstown.

Paramedics and police officers who attended the scene discovered her with large areas of swelling to her head, a lacerated finger and puncture wound on the ankle.

Ambulance staff commented that further marks on her back resembled a footprint, the court heard. Blood marks were also observed spattered on the walls and floor of the property.

The woman claimed Johnston had flipped a sofa on top of her, tried to smother her with one of the large cushions and threatened to burn down the house with her in it. When she attempted to call the police through a smart speaker he allegedly ripped the device from the wall.

Get the Northern Ireland World newsletter - sign up now

At other points Johnston held a knife to both of their throats, cut on her the leg with a pair of scissors and deliberately closed a living room door on her fingers, according to the prosecution.

Mrs Kennedy submitted: “The defendant threatened to kill the injured party, placing both hands around her neck and squeezing, telling her ‘I’m going to watch the life drain from your eyes’ while strangling her.

“(He also) stamped on her back and kicked her multiple times to different parts of her body.”

In a separate allegation, the woman claimed Johnston slapped her on the face while they were travelling together in a car, causing her to crash into a road sign.

During police interviews he denied all of the allegations, insisting she had jammed her fingers in a living room door while they were moving a sofa.

“He said she had a lot of bruises all the time as she has a Vitamin B12 deficiency,” Mrs Kennedy disclosed.

Defence barrister Sean Doherty accepted the allegations were serious but stressed that no serious injuries were sustained by the complainant.

Johnston insists it was the woman who attacked and stabbed him in the abdomen after he informed her their relationship was over. “That is what sparked the argument,” Mr Doherty said.

With his client having spent nearly five months in custody, he argued that bail should be granted due to anticipated delays in the case reaching trial.

However, Mr Justice McAlinden adjourned the case for social services to carry out checks on his proposed living arrangements.

The judge stated: “This man is accused of quite severe domestic violence, I have seen the photographs and they are not pleasant.”