Enniskillen Courthouse
A 21-year-old father-of-two has appeared in court accused of assaulting and threatening to kill his girlfriend and falsely imprisoning her.
Kevin Williamson, of Irvines Crescent n Enniskillen, denied all the charges when he appeared at Fermanagh court via videolink.
The father was applying for bail following his arrest on Friday over the alleged incident.
The court was told that officers were called to Enniskillen bus depot at approximately 5pm after his girlfriend, Shannon Clifford, contacted the police.
The circumstances surrounding the incident is unclear, however the court heard defence barrister Connor Heaney claim that 18-year-old Shannon had been living with Williamson and his mother in Enniskillen for the last three weeks.
He explained to the court that the alleged injured party’s mother was looking after the couple’s two children in Derry, where she is from.
It was claimed that she had travelled to Enniskillen on Thursday to stay for one night with the defendant and planned to travel back to Derry on Friday.
However, this was denied by Mr Heaney who told the court that she had been living with the defendant and his mother.
The court heard that Williamson is facing a rape allegation in a separate incident and has been on strict bail since May 2011, but none of the current charges breaches his bail conditions.
Mr Heaney explained: “Suggesting that she was here for one night is strongly denied. The explanation given was that she on her way home to Derry and he left her at the bus depot. But there had been a falling out and he went to the local police station to sign his bail.
“He was contacted by her and asked to go back to the bus station. She missed that bus and wanted to get a later bus.
“It’s alleged that the defendant had tried to stop her from getting on the bus, but there was no suggestion he inflicted any physical injuries and he denies stopping her from getting on the bus.
“My submission that the defendant has been excessively over-charged in this incident. I ask the Public Prosecution Service to look again and review the charges.
The court heard that the accused has breached his bail five times, although it was claimed that he did this in the first stages of being charged.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said that with some hesitation he would grant him bail.
“These offences do not breach any of these conditions and you have a limited record. There is dispute between you and the facts of the case.”
He was released on his own bail of £500 and told not to have any contact with the alleged injured party, to reside at Irvines Crescent in Enniskillen and report to a police station once a week and not to enter Derry city.
He was ordered to reappear at Fermanagh court on February 24.
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