A Portadown man who is alleged to have repeatedly punched his partner to the face when she asked him if he was texting other women has been remanded into custody .
Lisburn Magistrates’ Court heard claims that as well as punching her three times to the jaw, 29-year-old Barry Madden also pinned her to the bed and strangled her to such an extent that she had an epileptic fit and wet herself.
Standing in the dock of the court Madden, from North Street in Portadown, was charged with five offences including non-fatal strangulation, causing actual bodily harm criminal damage and causing unnecessary suffering to a dog on January 21, as well as a domestic abuse offence on dates between January 7-21.
Const. English told the court how the police were alerted to the alleged offences a week ago but were not able to effect an arrest until earlier this week.
According to the complainant she and Madden were in the living room of their home when he was using his phone but when she asked if he was texting other women “he became extremely irate and aggressive and punched her with a closed fist to the jaw three times”.
She fled upstairs to the bathroom but Madden followed her and trailed her by the arm to the bedroom where he allegedly “pushed his knuckles into her throat for 30-40 seconds and while being choked she has taken an epileptic fit and urinated herself”.
The officer said when police were speaking to her the woman’s voice was “hoarse, we believe as a result of the strangulation”.
At one point during the incident, Madden allegedly threatened that he was “going to hurt the only thing you love” so grabbing her 13-week-old puppy, he held it up by it’s throat and squeezed, “causing the dogs eyes to swell”.
“She told him hurt me, not the dog and he let it go,” Const. English told the court adding that a neighbour had told police she saw the complainant running from the house but that Madden grabbed her and dragged her back.
The neighbour also reported hearing “shouting and banging” coming from the victim’s home.
Revealing that Madden has more than 100 criminal convictions, Const. English said police wee concerned about the risk of further offences and witness interference of Madden was to be granted bail.
Defence counsel Patrick Taylor conceded there was no other bail address for Madden other than the home he shares with the victim, revealing that the defendant is part of her registered care plan should she suffer an epileptic fit.
Highlighting that Madden was seemingly absent for a week until his arrest, District Judge Rosie Watters said the offending “doesn’t sound like a caring person who looks after someone who is not well”.
She said while she would “maybe consider” bail if Madden had a different address, the application “doesn’t get off the ground” without that so due to a concern about further offences “I’m refusing bail”.
Remanding Madden into custody the judge adjourned the case to February 23.
