Two-year-old child told his mother 'daddy battered me' - Derry Magistrate's Court told

A two-year-old child told his mother 'daddy battered me', Derry Magistrate's Court heard today.

The court heard this as a man appeared charged with assaulting a 2-year-old child and one count of non fatal strangulation of the same child.

The 29-year-old from Derry who cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged victim in the case was charged with the assault, the non fatal strangulation charge, a charge of criminal damage, one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a child and possession of cannabis all of which were said to have occurred on September 28.

A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail.

The court heard that police were called by the child's grandmother who told them that her daughter's partner had assaulted her grandchild and left the property.

The police were told the child had been 'having a tantrum' as his mother was trying to change him.

The defendant was said to have taken the child upstairs when the crying suddenly stopped.

The police were told the defendant came down stairs carrying the child and said he had changed him.

The mother noticed that the child was red in the face and appeared to be struggling to breathe and there were marks on the face, ear and neck.

She asked the defendant what happened and he said nothing and she put him out the back door of the house.

The defendant was then said to have thrown a chair at the window before hitting it with his fists.

The mother asked the child what had happened and he answered 'daddy battered me' before going hysterical.

The marks on the child were photographed.

When the defendant was arrested a quantity of cannabis was found.

The child was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital and was said to have said 'daddy did that to me'.

The marks were found to be consistent with strangulation.

At interview the man denied assaulting the child and said he had not noticed any marks on him.

Bail was opposed due to the fear of interference with the investigation.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that the defendant had spoke freely to police.

He accepted that this was a 'serious case' which would cause 'some concern to the court'.

But the solicitor said that the defendant had his own address and added there were no children at that address.

District Judge Barney McElholm said 'these allegations are extremely serious' and added 'anyone convicted should rightly expect prison for a long, long time'.

The judge said that the fears expressed by the police were justified and added any address within the city was too close.

Bail was refused and the defendant was remanded in custody to appear again on October 24.