Assaulted ex-girlfriend and her new partner

A woman who assaulted her ex-girlfriend and her new partner, has had a six months sentence suspended for two years.
The courthouse at Bishop Street, Derry.The courthouse at Bishop Street, Derry.
The courthouse at Bishop Street, Derry.

Karen Josephine McGinley was also ordered to complete 60 hours Community Service and 18 months Probation.

The 34-years-old, from Magowan Park, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault on May 21, las year.

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She also admitted assaulting a civilian detention officer on a later date.

Derry Magistrate’s Court heard the injured parties were out in a local bar when they encountered McGinley.

The defendant punched her ex-girlfriend several times to the right hand side of her head and face and bit her. She also assaulted the other woman by hitting her on the head and biting her on the fore arm.

McGinley made contact with police a couple of weeks later and was arrested. Whilst in police custody she was asked to provide a specimen of breath and assaulted a civilian detention officer.

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The court heard the defendant bit the officer twice, resulting in bruising.

Defence counsel Catherine Devlin said it is accepted the facts of this case are ‘very distressing.’

She said McGinley had spent two weeks on remand and ‘that was a frightening and sobering experience for her’. The barrister told the court her client ‘seems to have learned from that. She wants to move on with her life’.