A man has been jailed for 18 months after strangling and inflicting black eyes on his partner for not showing him her phone.
James Taggart (31), previously from Enniskillen, was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and strangulation against the same victim on November 19, 2024.
The court heard from the victim, who explained that on the night she had been invited to a party in Letterbreen, hosted by Taggart’s friend.
Around an hour into the party she had been sitting on a sofa using her phone when the defendant asked who she was texting.
The victim replied ‘no-one’ before Taggart demanded to see her phone, which she refused. Taggart took the phone and smashed it on the ground before punching her in the face with a ‘closed fist’.
Taggart left the room briefly, leaving the woman crying on the sofa, before returning and grabbing her by the throat.
The injured woman said that she thought she was ‘going to die’, adding Taggart repeatedly punched her in the face.
She attended the hospital the next day with swelling and cuts to her face, black eyes, marks on her neck and lumps on her head. She was kept in hospital for five days.
Coercion claims
Defence counsel Ciaran Roddy noted the woman gave three different version of events to police, stating she had been ‘jumped’ at a party in a different location by two girls.
The victim said she was coerced into making the false statement by Taggart and feared he would kill her if she didn’t.
A hearsay application disclosed how the victim had told two nurses on separate occasions her actual account of the story, which cooberated that given in court.
Taggart was arrested in February this year and denied the charges, stating that the victim had been ‘jumped’ at a party that he wasn’t at. He also denied that they were in a relationship.
District Judge Ted Magill said he was ‘satisfied’ the injuries were caused by Taggart, adding he believed that she was coerced into making a false statement.
Judge Magill said no credit could be offered to Taggart for contesting the case, adding domestic violence was a ‘plight’ on society.
Taggart was sentenced to 18 months in custody for all offences, with a restraining order of two years imposed in favour of the victim.
After the hearing the court was notified that Taggart intended to lodge an appeal, however he was not released on bail to do so.