Man accused of having 'played fast and loose' with restraining order denied bail at Derry court
A man has been remanded in custody at Derry Magistrate's Court after a judge accused him of having 'played fast and loose' with a Restraining Order which was previously imposed on him.
Neil McFeely (41) of Lawrence Hill in the city appeared before the Magistrate’s Court on Monday charged with assaulting a female occasioning her actual bodily harm and with breaching a Restraining Order on March 7.
During the hearing, an officer from the Police Service of Northern Ireland connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail.
the police officer told the court that McFeely was 'a serial perpetrator of domestic violence' and said that police believed he posed a risk of 'significant harm' towards the alleged victim in the case.
The officer said that the defendant had 43 previous convictions and had 'a significant domestic history'. He also said police believed he would not abide by conditions.
Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said the breach of the Restraining Order was accepted but the assault was denied.
He said one of the problems was that McFeely lived 'across the corridor' from the woman and accepted he had been drinking with her and they had had an argument.
The solicitor said that the defendant and the woman were a couple and had been seen together on numerous occasions .
He asked for bail to be granted to an address approved by the PSNI.
The judge said she didn't believe McFeely would comply with bail conditions and refused bail. He will appear again on March 26.