Northern Ireland courts roundup for week of September 15

A Belfast man who sent an indecent image of a 16-year-old girl to her mother was jailed for 12 months

A number of people appeared before courts in Belfast this week charged with a range of serious offences.

One man was jailed after choking his partner until she passed out. Another man was convicted of assault after he punched a man to the ground following a road rage incident.

An East Belfast woman was labelled a “wicked, callous and evil liar” after she gave a Newtownabbey family false hope that she was going to donate a kidney to a sickly man.

Here is a roundup of the cases heard in Belfast between September 15-19:

Man aged 49 who sent indecent images of girl of 16 to her mother is jailed

A West Belfast man who sent an indecent image of a 16-year-old girl to her mother was jailed for 12 months.

Judge Catherine Chasemore told James O’Neill that he would spend a further 12 months on supervised licence on his release from prison to deal with his “concerning interest” in children.

The 49-year-old, of Cluain Mor Drive off the Springfield Road, had previously pleaded guilty to nine counts of making indecent photographs of a child.

Read more here.

Belfast man jailed after choking partner until she passed out

A 37-year old man who assaulted and strangled his partner then spat on her as he was leaving her home was jailed for two years.

Dominic McGoldrick – who Belfast Crown Court heard had a “significant domestic violence record”- will spend an additional two years on supervised licence when he is released from prison.

During the violent incident in December 2024, McGoldrick also held a knife to his friend’s throat. With an address at Centenary House on Belfast’s Victoria Street, McGoldrick was sentenced for three offences aggravated by reason of involving domestic abuse.

Read more here.

Murder accused ‘punched victim like he would his cousin’, court told

A man accused of murdering Barry Furfey in Lisburn on Monday admitted to punching the victim “like he would his cousin” after he allegedly touched the co-accused’s leg, the court heard.

Appearing jointly at Craigavon Magistrates Court, 37-year-old Jamie Spence of no fixed abode and 38-year-old Melissa Atkinson with an address at Wardsborough Road, Lisburn, spoke only to confirm that they understood the charges against them.

A police officer told District Judge Ranaghan that she believed they could connect the pair to the charges. While no bail application was made in respect of Mr Spence, the judge refused an application on behalf of Ms Atkinson on the grounds that there was a potential for the interference with witnesses and a risk of public disorder.

Read more here.

Man who sold cannabis-infused chocolate out of his Co Antrim shed in court

A ‘chocolatier’ who sold cannabis-infused chocolate products that he made in his garden shed avoided an immediate jail term.

Jamie Ritchie, who ran ‘The Sunshine Chocolate Factory’, was handed a 20-month sentence, which was suspended for three years.

The 43-year old was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court for four drugs offences arising from a search at his Forthill Drive home in Newtownabbey last January.

Read more here.

Man convicted of assault after road rage and spitting incident

A man was convicted of assault after he punched a man to the ground following a road rage incident.

Elvis Williams, 56, of Dunbar Street, Belfast, appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court on Thursday, September 18, where he faced one charge of assault causing actual bodily harm following an incident on November 18, 2024.

The court heard that Williams and the injured party got into a verbal altercation over a driving dispute when Williams was alleged to have pulled out in front of another driver when attempting to move around a parked lorry.

Read more here.

‘Wicked, callous and evil liar’ convicted for false offer to donate kidney

An East Belfast woman was labelled a “wicked, callous and evil liar” after she gave a Newtownabbey family false hope that she was going to donate a kidney to a sickly man.

Nicola Hutton, 54, of Strandburn Drive, appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court on Thursday, September 18, after being charged with a false communication offence after she had pretended to go through the organ donation process in order to donate a kidney to Billy Cullen.

The court heard that Hutton had approached the Cullen family via social media, using an account that had her maiden name Carlisle, saying that she wanted to donate a kidney to Billy and had started the process to do so. She then spent months communicating via text message with the family and had one face to face meeting where the Cullen family had bought her lunch and a present.

Read more here.

Domestic abuse victim endured nine-hour long attack hell at hands of ex

A Co Down man was remanded in custody on Thursday to be sentenced next week for domestic abuse offences.

Judge Gordon Kerr KC said he would sentence Colin Adair next Thursday, September 25, for an attack on his then partner.

Adair (38), of The Mill Caravan Park, Moss Road, Millisle, previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and making threats to kill.

Read more here.

Man who sent video of adult engaging in sex act to child sentenced

A Co Antrim man was handed an enhanced combination order for a number sex offences.

Evan Cody, 24, of Mill Road, Ballyclare, was ordered to carry out 60 hours community service and complete a three year probation order following Thursday’s hearing.

He was sentenced after he previously pleaded guilty to five charges of downloading images of children being abused and one offence of causing a child under 16 to watch an adult engaging in a sex act.

Read more here.

Drug mule caught at Belfast airport with cannabis worth £800,000 avoids jail

A Dublin drug mule who brought in two suitcases packed with drugs with a street value of over £800,000 narrowly avoided prison.

Reese Stella Doyle-Daly, 19, formerly of Hanover Street in the Irish capital, was handed an 18-month sentence suspended for three years on Friday after a judge said he was taking into account her age and vulnerabilities at the time.

The defendant had previously pleaded guilty to a single count of importing cannabis into Northern Ireland

Read more here.

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