County Derry man jailed after judge brands domestic violence 'very serious'

A judge at Derry Magistrate's Court has said that domestic violence is a 'very serious matter' as he jailed a man for assault and domestic abuse behaviour.

Richard William Samuel Bowers (36) of Hazelbank Road in Coleraine was convicted in his absence of assaulting a female on March 10 2023 and carrying out a course of behaviour that would be deemed as domestic abuse on dates between June 1 2022 and March 25 2023.

The court heard that there was an incident when Bowers came to collect his child from his former partner on March 10 2023.

The woman said Bowers became aggressive and so she felt it was inappropriate for him to have the child.

She tried to remove the child from the car Bowers grabbed her hair and then closed the car door in her face.

Police were also told of various incidents where Bowers shouted and was aggressive towards the woman including on one occasion he was shouting at her and she recorded him.

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Defence counsel Michael Donaghy said these were 'very serious offences' and while Bowers was convicted in his absence he did not accept his guilt in a probation report.

He said these offences were 'of some vintage' but there had been no other issues since then.

Bowers was jailed for four months, ordered to pay £150 in compensation and had a Restraining Order imposed for a period of two years.