A woman who allegedly smashed a bottle over her partner’s head after he “forcibly entered her flat” in Armagh has been granted bail to a friend’s house nearby.
Despite police objections, 37-year-old Ilona Katarzyna Zaton, who had been staying at the Linen Court Hostel with her partner, was granted bail to an address at St Malachy’s Court.
A prosecution solicitor outlined to Newry Magistrates’ Court on Friday, that on Thursday, September 12, police received report of an assault from staff at the Simon Community in Armagh.
Police attended and spoke with the injured party who was “extremely intoxicated” at the time.
He stated he had been hit a number of times with a glass bottle, by his partner – Zaton.
The injured party alleged that this incident had happened inside the suspect’s flat, within the hostel.
He had a visible injury to his head, which was bleeding, however, prior to the police’s arrival, staff from the hostel had managed to apply a bandage to stop the bleeding.
The ambulance service were tasked as he had a lump to the right side of his head and a deep cut, approximately one inch long, to the back of his head.
Zaton left the premises and went to a friend’s house at St Malachy’s Court where, at 1.30am, she was arrested for possession of offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence and assault, occasioning actual bodily harm.
During interview at Dungannon Custody Suite, Zaton stated she had been drinking with a friend and the alleged injured party before returning to the hostel.
She told police that the alleged injured party had forced his way into her bedroom, an argument had ensued between the pair, and the defendant has grabbed the bottle and hit the alleged injured party over the back of the head, causing injury.
Defending, Jarlath Fields, said: “The suspect and the injured party were in relationship and both live in the Linencourt Hostel.
“She would say that this person forcibly entered her flat. She had tried to prevent that from happening. She was pushed to the bed and a struggle ensued during which she lifted a bottle and hit him over the head.
“This woman is originally from Poland and has been living in the Hostel for quite some time. She has no other friends at all in this jurisdiction. The only other person she really knows well at all is her partner, who’s the complainant.”
Mr Fields said that while a bail address was being proffered, police were objecting for reasons unknown to him but surmised that it was “maybe because of the proximity between the addresses”.
Mr Fields told the court that on leaving the the hostel on Thursday, Zaton told staff she was heading to St Malachy’s Court and “if the police want me, that’s where I am”.
District Judge Eamon King freed Zaton on her own bail of £350 and adjourned until October 8 at Armagh Magistrates’ Court.
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