Tyrone man warned to expect 'considerable custodial sentence' for domestic abuse offences

A thirty-two years old man from Co. Tyrone who has admitted committing five domestic violence related offences against a woman last year was told by a judge at the Crown Court in Derry today to expect "a considerable custodial sentence".

Judge Neil Rafferty K.C. made the comment to Patrick Sherry from Castle Hill Park in Ballygawley.

The defendant has pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman occasioning her actual bodily harm, guilty to a charge of the non-fatal strangulation or asphyxiation of her, guilty to falsely imprisoning her, guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, namely an iron, with intent to assault her and guilty to threatening to kill her.

Sherry, who committed the offences on March 23 last year, was remanded in continuing custody until he's sentenced for the offences on September 27.

Judge Rafferty ordered the preparation of pre-sentence and victim impact statements for that date.

A prosecution barrister told the court that an application for a Restraining Order would also be made on September 27.

Judge Rafferty then told Sherry "given the nature of the offences you understand there will be a considerable custodial sentence imposed on that date."