Enniskillen Courthouse
A 25-year-old Ballinamallard man who attacked his ex-girlfriend while she made desperate attempts to stop his car following an argument, has been fined at Fermanagh Court.
Christopher Harry James Scott, of Drumkeen Court, pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault when he appeared before Enniskillen Magistrates Court.
He admitted attacking the mother of his child, Victoria Martin, as she attempted to stop him driving after they fell-out over a text message.
A prosecutor outlined to the court that on June 13 last year, Ms Martin reported to police that her ex-boyfriend had picked her up from her home to take her and their young daughter into Enniskillen town at approximately 1pm earlier that day.
The injured party told officers that Scott appeared to be fine, but became annoyed when he spotted a text message on her mobile phone and started to argue with her.
Ms Martin left the car to carry out a number of messages and returned some 20 minutes later thinking they had resolved the issue.
But, instead of taking her to her to the next address, Scott left Enniskillen and headed in another direction and despite Ms Martin’s protests to stop the car, the defendant refused and continued to drive in the wrong direction.
The prosecutor explained that as Ms Martin attempted to stop the car by turning on the indicators a number of times to attract the attention of the police vehicle in front, the accused hit her with a closed fist seven times.
She told officers that she didn’t think he would stop hitting her and as a result she hit him on the right eye.
A short time later the injured party was dropped off at her home along with their daughter.
She suffered redness and tenderness to her upper right arm following the number of forced blows to her body.
Scott was later arrested for common assault.
During police interview, Scott told officers that he refused to stop the car to allow her to leave as there wasn’t a safe place to pull over and that Ms Martin had continuedto pull at the steering wheel.
However, the prosecutor noted a number of safe places where the defendant could have stopped, including a filling station which had parking facilities.
In answer to the assault charges, Scott admitted that he struck her three times with a closed fist.
Defence barrister Heather Phillips told the court that Scott comes from a good family and has a good educational background and once started his own business.
She continued: “Unfortunately, because of the pressure of shift work coupled with a relationship breakdown with the defendant’s family, things did become heated between them.
“The reality is that both parties should have conducted themselves with more mature behaviour.
“Things became heated and emotions were running high. But there hasn’t been any other incident since.
“They tried to look into why their relationship was breaking down and they accept that it is time to move on. Things manifested itself and he regrets what he did.”
District Judge Nigel Broderick told the court that a report described Scott as being of low risk of re-offending and that probation would have limited impact.
The District Judge fined him £100 and imposed a compensation order of £400.
He added: “Hopefully this is a one off where emotions got the better of you.”
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