A Lurgan man who “came straight out of prison and went straight back” to targeting his ex-partner has been locked up again.
Mark William David Cairns, of Lime Grove, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates’ Court charged with breach of a restraining order and criminal damage.
The 36-year-old was released from prison in February having served a five-month term for assaulting his ex-partner.
However, on April 3, police received a call from the injured party, alleging her ex-partner had attended the property and caused damage to her windows.
She alleged Cairns approached the front garden and began throwing ornaments at the window. The injured party stated that during the course of the incident Cairns smashed one of the windows.
Police attended a short time later and noted damage to the front window. The victim provided footage from her doorbell which captured the entire incident.
Police discovered the defendant was currently under a restraining order against the injured party, which is in place until February 2025.
Upon hearing the facts, District Judge Kelly noted: “So he came straight out of prison and went straight back?”
Defence solicitor John Paul McCann replied: “Yes, that is the case.”
He added: “He received five months in total [for his previous offences] but had spent 14 months in total in custody which is three times sentence he received.”
Mr McCann said his client was “essentially caught red-handed” and that alcohol played a part in these offences.
“He tells me he regrets what he has done and he is going to make changes,” suggesting his client was trying to get accommodation outside the Lurgan area “to put an end to this offending”.
He admitted the gap between him getting out in February and these offences in April was “a very short period and there’s no getting away from that”.
District Judge Kelly described the offences as “clearly serious matters of a domestic nature”.
He was handed three months in custody for the breach of the restraining order and six months for criminal damage, to run concurrently.
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