AN Enniskillen man who broke a window at his ex-partner’s house and threatened to burn it down with her inside will be sentenced next month.
Kieran Rowley (26) of Kilmacormick Road, Enniskillen appeared before a contest hearing at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday where he denied making threats to damage property, common assault and threats to kill but pleaded guilty to criminal damage.
The charges arose out of an incident on August 21 when, just after 2.30am, police were called to a house in Cornagrade by a woman who said her ex-partner was at her home and was refusing to leave. She said he had broken a window and was still outside.
When police arrived Rowley was found outside the house along with his mother. He told the officers he’d smashed the window and offered to pay for it.
His ex-partner told police she had been standing outside at around 1.30am when Rowley came along. He smashed the window, threatened to smash the rest of the windows of the house, and threatened to burn the house down with her in it.
The injured party told the court: “I was scared that he was going to lash out and hit me.”
In his evidence, Rowley said he had gone to his ex-partner’s home to return a key and found her waiting on the doorstep before they began to argue. He said his partner had pushed him before he lashed out and hit the window. He then left the property but returned a short time later to collect his belongings at which point the police arrived.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said he was in no doubt that the incident had been distressing for the complainant. He said he was satisfied that “a heated verbal argument” and “an emotional and traumatic incident” had taken place.
Rowley was convicted of making threats to damage the property and assault but the judge said he was not satisfied that a threat had been made to kill.
“This was said in the heat of the moment due to resentment and anger”, he added. The case was adjourned until December 19th for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and to allow the defendant to pay £120 in compensation for the window damage.
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