Jailed for six months for domestic assault

Derry Magistrate’s Court heard Noel Wylie assaulted his wife in front of their disabled daughter in the family home.

Wylie, of Broighter Court, pleaded guilty to common assault, making threats to kill and assaulting police on April 9.

The defendant had been drinking all day and charged towards his wife with the bread knife shouting: ‘We will all be together.’

She believed this was a threat to kill her, her daughter and then himself.

Wylie caused a laceration to his wife’s neck with the knife and she pushd him back, before running to phone the police.

As she was on the phone, the defendant said ‘you better not be phoning the police’ with his fist raised and the woman believed he was going to strike her again.

The court heard the assault took place in front of the Wylie’s severely disabled daughter, who is an adult but has the mental capacity of a one-year-old.

The defendant also assaulted a police officer.

Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said his client accepts the offences are ‘serious and he doesn’t seek to blame anyone but himself.’

However, the barrister said the complainant had withdrawn her statement about the incident; had visited her husband in prison and was in court.

Mr Chapman said Wylie would be returning to the family home upon his release from prison.

Jailing the defendant, District Judge Barney McElholm said this was a ‘very serious case involving the use of a weapon and threats, which in that context is very serious.’