A Lurgan man has been handed a suspended sentence after breaching an injunction which prohibited him from harassing an injured party.
Court heard the 50-year-old claimed three calls he made to the woman, via WhatsApp, had been a mistake as he was going through his previous call logs.
Colm Francis Breen, 50, of Ballynamoney Road, pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching an injunction prohibiting harassment at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Court heard that on August 25, 2017, the injured party applied for an injunction against the defendant preventing him from contacting her via any means.
On September 7, 2018, she contacted police in order to make a complaint of a number of breaches.
These related to calls via WhatsApp on April 14, May 1 and August 1, 2018.
Breen was interviewed regarding these breaches on October 4.
He claimed that he rang the injured party by mistake when looking through old call logs.
Prosecution stated that it was their intention to apply for a restraining order in the case.
Defence barrister Ciara Ennis stated: “On April 30 the interim injunction will cease to exist. My client intends to stay in Northern Ireland for the next three months for all the matters to be dealt with.”
She added: “This was three phone calls over a period of time, but Mr Breen accepts that this is not someone that he should be contacting.”
Court heard that the defendant worked overseas and would be returning there after the conclusion of other breach matters.
Breen was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for 18 months.
A restraining order was also granted for a similar period of 18 months.
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