Derry Court: Man who assaulted his wife and daughter 'prioritised his drinking over his family'

A man who a judge said had 'prioritised his drinking over his family' has been given a suspended sentence at Derry Magistrate's Court today for assaulting his wife and daughter.

Michael Boyle (56) of College View in Derry admitted assaulting his wife on June 3 and June 14 2022.

He also admitted assaulting his daughter on two occasions on June 14, as well as a charge of criminal damage to a tablet and an offence of domestic abuse between June 3 and June 14.

The court heard that police received a 999 call on June 14 at about 11pm about an assault on both the wife and the daughter.

The daughter said that in the afternoon she had entered the house and her father had begun shouting at her that she should get out of the house.

The mother intervened to protect her daughter.

Later that evening the wife was on her tablet in the front room when Boyle demanded she get him a Guinness.

He then threw a glass of wine in the floor and grabbed the tablet from his wife and threw that on the floor breaking the screen.

He then slapped his wife across the face and told her the next time he 'would use fists.'

Boyle's daughter then tried to get in between her parents and he hit her as well.

The mother also told police of an incident two weeks previously when she had asked Boyle to smoke outside and he had slapped her across the face.

He was said to have said 'I will do what I want in my own home.'

When interviewed Boyle denied the assaults and said there had been 'a wee fall out.'

He claimed that the tablet was damaged accidentally.

Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said that Boyle had put his family in 'a very difficult position'.

He said that this 'was not a happy home due to his drinking'.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that it was 'a serious matter'.

He imposed a sentence of 8 months in prison suspended for 3 years and a period of probation for 2 years.