A Newry man accused of punching his estranged wife has been told by a district judge that he will not be bailed to live in the city.
Court heard that the 38-year-old is also alleged to have assaulted his two children by pushing them.
Peter McCartney, of Dominic Street, appeared on foot of a breach of bail at Banbridge Magistrates’, sitting at Lisburn, on Thursday, via videolink from police custody.
The defendant is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of common assault.
Court heard a brief outline of the details in the case.
McCartney is alleged to have punched his estranged wife and pushed his two children.
Defence solicitor John Murphy informed the court that a bail application was being made on his client’s behalf.
A constable outlined that the breach related to the defendant contacting the alleged injured party, his estranged wife, just 20 minutes after being released from the police station on a 28-day charge, via WhatsApp.
Mr Murphy said that McCartney claimed that this text conversation had been initiated by the alleged injured party.
The constable stated that a snapshot of a conversation was available, and from this it could be seen that the alleged injured party replied to messages but it was unclear as to who had started the conversation.
Mr Murphy told court that two addresses outside of the matrimonial home were available to the defendant, one being several miles away.
However, District Judge Mark McGarrity stated: “I do not consider any address in Newry as a suitable place for him to reside.”
He also refused to release McCartney to an address approved by police commenting: “In a case such as this I would need to know where he is going to be.”
The bail application in the case was adjourned until July 20 for a suitable address to be found.
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