Lurgan man, who went to Iceland and was convicted of harassing his ex in his absence, give suspended jail term, Craigavon court hears
A Co Armagh man, who went to Iceland and was convicted of harassing his ex partner in his absence, only called police when he returned after his father collapsed, a court hears.
Christopher William Lawrence Foye, aged 42, from Belfast Road, Lurgan appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday for sentencing having pleaded guilty to harassment and breaching a restraining order.
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The conviction arose after Foye’s ex partner reported the defendant sent messages via Facebook Messenger on 2 occasions in September 2022 when he was banned from doing so and which amounted to harassment.
He sent a message to her neighbour saying he is the father of their children and asked how the children were getting on September 13, 2022.
Three days later he sent a message to the injured party’s brother-in-law in which he said: “Have fun at the wedding. I look forward to hearing about the wedding speeches. I hope you all rot in hell” and other ‘derogatory’ language, a Prosecutor revealed.
"This left the injured party in fear as it referenced her up and coming wedding at the time,” said the Prosecutor. “She had no idea how the defendant knew about the event as he had no access to social media, nor her friends and family.”
The Prosecutor revealed the injured party said Foye ‘continually attempted to harass her through friends, family and colleagues’.
Foye’s barrister Mr John Paul McCann said his client was convicted in his absence in June 2023. He explained Foye received an employment offer in Iceland as the case was ongoing. “He felt the process was going quite slowly and he left to take up this offer of employment that he described as a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’.
He said Foye has been in Iceland the entire time but returned earlier this year as his 86-year-old father was ‘very ill’. “His father collapsed on the 8th of August. It was Mr Foye who contacted the police and the emergency services knowing that he would be arrested but he was very worried about his father and he has caring responsibilities for him.”
Mr McCann said things were ‘very well settled’ with the defendant and ‘the 3 year period has almost acted as a deferral’. He said Foye is in a new long term relationship and he ‘has absolutely no interest’ in the complainant.
The barrister added Foye has an opportunity to return to Iceland and take up that employment but is currently working as a welder.
Mr McCann added when Foye was away he got into mortgage difficulties but now has set up a repayment plan however his liberty is essential to continue that payment plan or he loses his house.
He asked the District Judge not to active the suspended sentences which were live at the time ‘given the passage of time and given that everything has settled’. “I would ask some form of sentencing which would allow this man to retain his liberty,” he said.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “You have a very relevant record Mr Foye. Any breach of a court order is a significant matter.”
He sentenced Foye to five months in jail suspended for 12 months and issued a Restraining Order in favour of the complainant.