Stuart Paul Wilson, aged 37, from Toberhewny Hall, Lurgan, appeared at Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with criminal damage. Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. The court heard that on July 13 this year at around 3.
30am, police responded to a report of a possible on-going domestic incident at Toberhewny Hall, Lurgan. Advertisement Advertisement “Police attended the address and spoke with the homeowner and injured party. She informed police that her ex-partner, the defendant, had attended her address and was abusive via the speaker of the Ring doorbell,” the prosecutor told the court "It continued until the defendant hit the doorbell with the bottom of a closed fist.
This caused damage to the lens of the camera,” she said, adding the damage constituted a crack causing permanent damage to the lens. "The injured party was deemed high risk of domestic abuse in relation to the defendant. The Ring doorbell was given to the injured party by Women’s Aid after previous issues,” the prosecutor said.
She revealed that during interview, the defendant admitted being at the injured party’s home but was only there to inquire where his children were. He admitted causing the damage but it wasn’t his intention, adding he was happy to pay for any damage. The prosecutor said there was a request for £81 in compensation.
Advertisement Advertisement District Judge Michael Ranaghan said he noted a conviction in 2023 for criminal damage aggravated by domestic abuse for which the defendant received a three months jail term and was told this involved the same injured party. Wilson’s solicitor, Mr Peter Murphy, said his client ended up serving three months because he couldn’t get a bail address and it was on a ‘time served’ basis. Mr Murphy said, in relation to the current charge, Wilson had been in the company of his partner that evening.
“They do have a relationship on and off and is in the court with him today. There had been quite a bit of drink taken by other parties, but not him.” Advertisement Advertisement The defendant claimed he decided to leave and later made contact with the injured party wanting to know where his children were as it was late at night and they were ‘quite young’.
"That’s why he went round to the house on a couple of occasions. He accepts he used the bell and tried to contact her to find out where the children were. Turned out she wasn’t in the house,” he said, adding it was a neighbour who had called the police not his partner who hasn’t made a statement of complaint to police.
Mr Murphy said his client accepts he pushed the Ring doorbell too heavy and damaged it. “He has contact with his partner and his children. At this point they want to put this matter behind them,” he said.
Advertisement Advertisement District Judge Ranaghan said he would deal with the matter via a fine. “I am not going to place any weight on that previous disposal. Mr Murphy has extinguished that.
"I appreciate why you did what you did, but you need to be careful going forward especially as you share children,” he told the defendant. He fined Wilson £185 plus the £15 offender levy. Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
.
