Man given suspended sentence and ordered to pay £800 to woman after assaulting her in bar

Steven Wamsley (54) of Fallowlea Park in the Caw/Nelson Drive area of the Waterside admitted the assault that occurred on December 5 last year.

The incident occurred, Derry Magistrates’ Court heard, when the defendant appeared to be involved in a conversation with a woman and after words were exchanged he slammed her onto a table.

Defence counsel Sinead Rogan told Derry Magistrates’ Court that the defendant had sustained a brain injury some years ago and that he required assistance.

She said that on the night of the assault the defendant had met an old friend and that he went to the bar where the incident occurred.

The court heard that the next day when Wamsley went back to retrieve his coat at the bar and was told that he had assaulted a woman he 'broke down'.

The defence barrister told Derry Magistrates’ Court that the CCTV showed ‘the woman reaching towards the defendant’ but she added that 'what happens after that goes well beyond a self defence case.'

She told the local magistrates’ court that Wamsley was 'very remorseful' and added that he did not have 'violent tendencies'.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that this was 'something that should not have happened.'

He sentenced Wamsley to 4 months in prison suspended for two years and ordered him to pay £800 in compensation.