Delivery driver heard a woman screaming inside a Lurgan address, Craigavon court is told as man accused of assault is given bail

Cian Keane Joseph Hughes, aged 20, from River Glade Manor, Lurgan, appeared in custody in the dock at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

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He is accused of assault causing actual bodily harm to a woman on October 14 this year aggravated by domestic abuse.

Hughes’ barrister, Mr Gavyn Cairns, requested bail for his client but this was opposed by police.

The court was told that at around 2.40pm, police received a third party report of a possible ‘on going domestic’ at River Glade Manor, Lurgan.

"A delivery driver reported hearing a female screaming from inside the address and sounds of a possible assault,” a PSNI officer told the court.

Hughes’ grandfather answered when police arrived but denied anything had happened and refused permission for police to enter the property.

“Police subsequently entered the property and located the suspected injured party hiding in a shed in a rear garden of the property,” he said.

He revealed the girl told police she had an argument with her partner Cian Hughes.

“She was visibly upset and police observed a red bite mark on her left cheek but she would not go into any further details,” he said.

Hughes arrived back to the address saying he had been out looking for his girlfriend saying they had a verbal argument earlier over her missing a bus to tech.

The girl wouldn’t initially tell police how she got the mark on her cheek, the court heard.

“However, when she was being conveyed to her home address she said it was Cian who gave her the mark on the cheek. She also disclosed her head was sore,” said the officer, adding police noticed a lump on her head and blood on her trousers but she didn’t disclose where this was from.

After Hughes was arrested he denied ‘any physical altercation’.

The officer said the woman said she is planning to make a statement to police.

The officer told the court the woman “disclosed to police she was scared for her life”. She also disclosed to police she had previous dealings with the justice system and was ‘disappointed’ and ‘has no faith in the justice system’.

She also said the defendant has her phone and refuses to return it.

"Police believe the defendant will coerce her into not engaging with police,” said the officer, adding Hughes doesn’t have a criminal record but had dealings with police.

Hughes’ barrister said the court was told the complainant was found in a shed in the back garden when it “was in fact a converted garage where Mr Hughes lives with his grandfather”.

When asked if there was blood in relation to the ‘bite mark’ on the woman’s cheek, the officer said there didn’t appear to be any blood and the skin didn’t appear to be broken.

Mr Cairns said there was an “unhappy history” between them. He pointed out the defendant was before the court in July but the complainant, who is the same woman in this case, “was determined not to attend court”.

Hughes was released on his own bail of £300 with strict conditions including a ban on having any contact with the alleged victim. The case was adjourned until October 29.