Boxer jailed for beating up pregnant ex-girlfriend over a number on phone

A “TALENTED boxer” who attacked and threatened to kill his pregnant girlfriend was starting a seven-month prison sentence yesterday.

Aaron Sinclair will spend an additional seven months on licence after he is released from jail for the August 2017 incident.

Belfast Crown Court heard Sinclair, from Leopold Street, assaulted his 35-week pregnant girlfriend after losing his temper over a number on her phone.

During the “sustained” incident, she was punched several times and a false tooth was knocked out.

A defence barrister for 31-yearold Sinclair said his client “bitterly regrets” what occurred and “cannot go back in time and undo what he did”.

Judge David McFarland was told by Crown prosecutor Kate McKay that at the time of the violent incident, Sinclair and the woman were separated after being in an on/off relationship for around a year.

At around 8pm on August 8, 2017, she was contacted by Sinclair, who had been at a friend’s funeral and who had locked himself out of his flat.

She had a spare set of keys, so went to the flat to assist her ex-partner. Saying Sinclair was “intoxicated”, Ms McKay said he initially appeared calm but then became agitated. He took the woman’s phone and refused to believe a number she had stored was for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

She became concerned for her safety and tried to leave, but Sinclair pushed into her with his shoulder. He punched her to the side of her face and after she pleaded with him, he told her he wouldn’t hurt her or the baby.

Sinclair then accused the woman of lying about the phone number, threatened he would kill her if she was lying, and at one point during the attack he put his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. After she made another attempt to leave the flat, Sinclair pulled her back by her hair, punched her several times to the face and kicked her leg.

Ms McKay said the woman was then able to escape from the flat, and ran to a relative of Sinclair’s who lived nearby and who was able to intervene.

The pregnant woman went to hospital the following day, where a check was done on the baby. The baby was unharmed, while the woman sustained bruising and swelling to her face and bruising to her left thigh.

When arrested, Sinclair accepted he was suspicious about a number on her phone, but told police his ex attacked him first. He initially denied attacking the woman in the way she described, but later admitted assaulting her occasioning actual bodily harm, and threatening to kill her.

Ms McKay said the woman sustained “psychological trauma” in the incident and has flashbacks and nightmares about it.

Defence barrister Sean Mullan highlighted his client’s good education, solid work record in the security industry and said he was a “talented boxer ... who has the opportunity of turning professional”.

Handing Sinclair a 14-month sentence, the Judge said he was taking into account his positive work record, lack of criminal convictions and the delay in bringing the case to court.