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02 Jan 2026

Suspended sentence for threatening to dance on woman's head

Janine Naomi Graham (43) of Rockmills in Derry appeared and admitted one charge of sending threatening communications between September 17 and September 18 last year

Rowdy scenes at Derry Magistrate's Court as anti lock down protesters disrupted proceedings

Derry Magistrates' Court

Reporter:

Court Reporter

02 Jan 2026 12:10 PM

Email:

news@derrynow.com

A woman who said that another woman 'will pay with her life' has been given a suspended sentence at Derry Magistrates' Court. 
Janine Naomi Graham (43) of Rockmills in Derry appeared and admitted one charge of sending threatening communications between September 17 and September 18 last year.
The court heard that police received a report from Graham that her partner had threatened her. 
Then she said that she was going to 'dance on the head' of her former partner's new girlfriend. 
The new girlfriend reported to police that she had received messages from Graham telling her she would pay with her life and that the defendant said she would 'dance on her head'.
When interviewed Graham said she had made the threats against the woman to annoy her former partner as she knew threatening him wouldn't annoy him.
She said she wanted the man to think she would hurt the woman but she had no intention of carrying out the threat.
Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said Graham had a 'difficult and traumatic background'.
He said she was 'upset' when her former partner was going out with someone else. 
The solicitor said that Graham was a 'volatile individual' but was now taking steps to address her alcohol issues.
District Judge Suzanne Rice said that this was 'a very serious offence' that had caused a high degree of upset.
She told Graham that she was on the 'cusp' of going to prison.
The judge said that the offence was 'vicious, threatening and caused a high degree of distress.'
She sentenced Graham to two months in prison suspended for two years and ordered her to pay £250 in compensation. 

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