The defendant was harassing his wife from whom he had been separated for seven years
A Letterbreen man who admitted harassing his ex-wife has been given a five months jail sentence suspended for three years, at Enniskillen Magistrates Court.
Freddie Frazer Bluebell Grove, Letterbreen, was charged with harassing his ex-wife on dates between 29 September and December 20 last year.
Crown Prosecutor Ms O’Hare told the court that the defendant was harassing his wife from whom he had been separated for seven years, on December 20.
On another occasion in September when the 55 year-old was told to leave he tried to kiss his former wife.
And in a separate incident his wife said that her ex-husband had been in her garden making “strange noises at her”.
The defendant had initially denied the charge of harassment.
But his defence counsel Stefan Rafferty said his client had “taken full responsibility” for all incidents.
“But he wishes to stress that he did not intend to cause fear to the injured party”.
“There was no malice in his intentions but realises he was foolish in the extreme.
The counsel said his client did not see his actions as hurtful but he was very regretful.
The Counsel added that the Frazers were the parents of adult children and had briefly reconciled.
At one point they had exchanged telephone calls and texts in relation to a son who was renovating his house.
The counsel noted that there had been previous matters in relation to his client that were ten years old.
And there had been no breach of any restraining orders in the past four weeks.
His client had health problems and was not suitable for community service, the court heard.
Freddie Frazer had been self-employed but was now retired and had another two years to wait for his pension.
When Judge Nigel Broderick asked for the defendant’s financial means, he was told that the defendant rented out his farm for £2,500 to £3,000 per year.
Judge Broderick said the defendant’s actions had a “significant and detrimental effect” on his ex wife was apparent from a victim impact statement.
His ex-wife had suffered injuries as a result of the defendant’s actions in 2001 and there had been a breach of a Non-molestation Order in 2004.
The judge said the offence had crossed the custody threshold.
Judge Broderick gave the defendant a five months jail sentence suspended for three years.
The judge also imposed a Restraint Order for three years.
Judge Broderick ordered the defendant to pay his ex-wife £2,000 compensation but said this in no way made up for her distress.
“It marks the seriousness of the matter and shows how close you came to a custodial sentence”, the judge said.
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