Man convicted of assaulting former partner

Kevin O'Neill (19), from 82 Glebe Avenue, was also warned about his future behaviour by District Judge, Des Perry, during sentencing following the incident with Bronwyn Jerram, with whom he has two children.

Miss Jerram told the court that the incident occurred on January 4 after she had informed O'Neill that she was pregnant again.

"Kevin didn't seem happy that I was pregnant again and he sent me a text the night before the incident to tell me our three year relationship was over," she said.

"But that wasn't the only text he sent me. He also texted me to say that he would throw me down the stairs. I replied saying you don't mean that but he texted back saying he did. The next I heard from him was the Sunday when he asked if he could come round and collect his stuff.

"He arrived around 7pm and went upstairs to get his things. Once he had finished he came into the living room where I was with our 20-month-old son. He kept asking me if I was really pregnant and snatched my phone off me and deleted the previous messages he had sent me.

"He then placed his hand on my stomach and began pushing me quite hard. My son eventually came over as he saw I was distressed. Kevin stopped pushing me and I asked him to leave which he did."

The defence questioned Miss Jerram why it had taken her five days to contact the police and seek medical attention and she replied that she 'was too scared to leave the house'.

Under questioning, Mr O'Neill denied his former partner's version of events and claimed that she had made them up to spite him following their break up.

"I think the whole thing was out of spite as she wanted to stop me seeing our son because I had broken up with her," he said.

"I had become very frustrated by her because she told me she was pregnant, then a few weeks later she told me she had taken another test and she wasn't pregnant. I had no problem with her being pregnant and I was keen to be involved, but I felt she was trying to conceal it from me.

"On the Sunday night when I went round to get my stuff she was the one who put my hand on her stomach and I certainly never pushed her."

Mr O'Neill admitted that he had sent Miss Jerram a text message threatening to throw her down the stairs claiming he had sent it when he was drunk. However he told the court that he had apologised for that he would 'never do anything like that for real'.

District Judge, Des Perry, told the court that he was satisfied with the evidence before him and labelled O'Neill 'spiteful and immature'.

He said: "You certainly haven't covered yourself in glory. You end your three year relationship because your partner was pregnant again and you come up with some waffle that it was because you felt she was concealing it from you.

"The impression I get is that you are not willing to be a father, you simply just tolerate your children. You are a spiteful person and have behaved immaturely.

"I am binding you over to keep the peace for a period of 18 months and if you step out line in any way with your behaviour towards your ex-partner or children in that time you will be fined 1,000 or sent to jail."