A NEWTOWNBUTLER man who threatened to throw his partner into the lough, knowing she was afraid of water, has been given community service.
Killian McMackin (32) of Mill Hill Road, Newtownbutler, appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday for sentencing on three charges of common assault.
Sentencing had previously been deferred in the case to allow McMackin the chance to address his issues with addiction.
McMackin assaulted the woman three times at the beginning of this year, on January 31st, February 2nd, and February 4th.
The first time he hit her over the head with a very hard pillow, the second time he pushed her on to her back and tried to choke her, and on the final occasion he pushed her on to the bed and began to choking, kicking and hitting her.
The woman managed to escape the house. When outside McMackin pushed her to the ground and threatened to throw the woman, who has a fear of water, in the lough.
Defence solicitor Clive Neville, who described the incidents as “nothing short of appalling”, said at the time of the assaults McMackin had been struggling with an addiction to prescription drugs.
Mr Neville said McMackin had met all the conditions since his sentencing had been deferred, was now drug free.
He added McMackin had since reconciled with his partner and she was in court to support him, but noted they are not living together.
Mr Neville said that the defendant was remorseful and recognised that it was
his drug taking that had led to his offending.
District Judge Steven Keown said prior to the sentencing deferral McMackin had been “standing at the door of the cells”, suggesting he faced a prison sentence for what he called “a disgraceful series of incidents.”
Judge Keown noted that during the deferral McMackin had engaged in a six week in-patient addiction programme as well as the respectful relationships course.
He sentenced McMackin to 169 hours community service, the most the court could impose on top of a previous community service order.
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