A Lurgan man who assaulted his wife after she confronted him about contacting other women has been sentenced to two months in prison.
A district judge told the 33-year-old that he would not be able to avail of a community service or probation order as he had no fixed abode in Northern Ireland.
Keith Gareth McLoughlin, of Charles Baron Gardens, pleaded guilty to making a false declaration to obtain insurance, common assault, theft and no driving licence at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Court heard that on December 13, 2017, police were called to a domestic disturbance at an address at Rectory Park, Lurgan.
The injured party stated she had been confronting her husband, the defendant, about him contacting other women when he used his body weight to fling her against a door.
This left her with bruising on the back of her head.
McLoughlin then got in a car parked in the driveway and drove off.
The injured party told police that the defendant did not have a licence but was insured through AXA.
Officers located the vehicle outside another address and found McLoughlin inside the property.
The defendant fully cooperated with police and handed them a Samsung phone belonging to the injured party.
Checks showed that McLoughlin’s licence had expired on July 17, 2015.
The defendant, who represented himself, said he had nothing to add but claimed he had no fixed abode and was in full-time employment in Scotland.
District Judge Bernie Kelly told McLoughlin that in the absence of an address in Northern Ireland he could not be assessed by probation for a community service order.
She stated: “Domestic violence is taken very seriously by all courts Mr McLoughlin, there is only one penalty that I can impose and you cannot minimise it by dealing with it in this manner.”
The defendant was sentenced to two months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of £400.
In addition, McLoughlin was also disqualified from driving for six months.
