Man locked wife out of her house

Guard, who was awarded ¬3,000, claimed that he was assaulted by two students

Philip McQuiggan (50), whose address was given as Bridgeford Meadows, Portadown, was sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for 12 months, for assault on March 25 this year.

He was also made the subject of a two-year restraining order prohibiting him from intimidating, harassing or pestering the injured party.

The court heard police received a report of a domestic incident and they spoke to the injured party.

She was visibly upset and said her husband had locked her out of the house.

As she tried to gain entry he grabbed her by the neck and pulled her inside.

When McQuiggan was interviewed he said he could not remember anything due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed but accepted his wife would not lie.

The case had been adjourned from a previous court so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained.

McQuiggan appeared in court by way of videolink from Maghaberry prison.

A barrister representing the defendant said he had been in custody for three weeks.

He had a bail address but there were difficulties with that address and he handed himself into custody.

He explained that his client had difficulties in the past with alcohol and wanted to get into Maghaberry to “dry out” and that a bail application the previous week did not go ahead because he did not feel ready to get out of custody.