Man (23) is charged with assault on partner

A YOUNG father has been charged in a Londonderry court after an assault on his partner.

A police officer alleged Callum Fisher (23), from St Brecan’s Park in the Waterside area of the city, punched his partner on the buttocks, where she had to have several stitches after giving birth.

Fisher is alleged to have assaulted his partner last Friday.

The court was told that the complainant in the case now wished to withdraw her complaints. Objecting to bail, the officer told Deputy District Judge Liam Mcstay that the police were alerted to the incident by a neighbour of the complainant, who ran next door after the defendant had allegedly smashed her mobile phone.

The complainant told the police that Fisher had headbutted her, grabbed her by the throat, arms and hair and punched her several times, including to her buttocks. She said she believed her partner was under the influence of drugs at the time.

Police located the defendant an hour later near his father’s home in Ballymagroarty. He was verbally abusing his father. He also verbally abused and resisted the PSNI officers.

The police witness said following his arrest the defendant gave the police a small bar of Xanax and a bag of cannabis.

“On the way to the police station the defendant spat spittle and blood on the rear of the driver’s seat,” the officer said.

He said while in custody the defendant soiled himself inside a cell and punched and bit himself.

Police later found a tin foil wrap of Xanax in the cell.

The judge said the police case against the defendant “showed a very high level of uncontrolled violence”. Applying for bail, solicitor Paddy Macdermott described the defendant’s behaviour as shocking and unacceptable. He said the defendant relapsed into drug-taking.

“When his partner became pregnant, he became very excited and looked forward to the birth of their baby,” Mr Macdermott said.

Mr Mcstay said the defendant’s criminal record, with several prison sentences, was “dramatic” in that its first entry showed an immediate jail sentence rather than an escalation to prison.

“This is a high risk case but one which sufficient controls by way of bail conditions can be applied,” he said.

The Deputy District Judge released the defendant on his own bail of £500. As part of his bail conditions, the defendant is banned from entering certain areas and banned from consuming illegal drugs and alcohol. He is also banned from any unauthorised visits to his partner.