Man accused of stalking and threatening to kill woman before Derry court

Ruaidhri Gallagher (41) of Orchard Road, Strabane was charged with harassment on October 31, making threats to kill on October 26, abusive behaviour between October 5 and November 2, using public communications to send abusive messages between October 30 to 31, stalking between October 5 and November 2, abusive behaviour on November 1 and assault on October 20 and 24. All alleged offences were aggravated by way of domestic abuse.

Police were initially called about a case of ongoing domestic abuse by the alleged injured party, who had been in a relationship with Gallagher for less than a month in October.

After she ended the relationship, she showed police over one hundred screenshots that were allegedly from Gallagher.

Gallagher was alleged to have repeatedly accused her of having sexual contact with other men and to have called her various names.

He was also alleged to have threatened to crash his car when she told him she would break up with him.

Gallagher was alleged to have become aggressive and grabbed her phone while they were in bed, accusing her of being with other men.

After the relationship ended at the end of October, Gallagher was alleged to have made over two hundred phone calls and sent over one hundred messages, including a photo of himself standing outside the police station while she was inside making a statement.

He was also alleged to have threatened to slit her throat during an argument.

When interviewed, Gallagher confirmed that he had made the calls and sent the messages, telling police he was 'not proud' of his actions.

He denied making threats to kill and assaulting his former partner.

Police objected to bail, noting that Gallagher has a number of previous convictions for domestic offences involving different partners.

Defence solicitor John McManus repeated that Gallagher denied making threats and the alleged assaults, also telling the court that Gallagher and the alleged injured party had met in person on two occasions in recent days.

He also noted that Gallagher's address is 15 miles away.

Bail was granted on conditions including that he not enter the city of Derry apart from court appearances, he not use any social media sites, he has no contact with the alleged injured party and that he has a phone only for calls and texts, with all access details given to police.

He will appear again on December 2.