6 key cases before Northern Ireland courts this week

Here is your round-up of cases heard before courts around Northern Ireland from May 26-29

06:30, 30 May 2026

Cases before Northern Ireland courts this past week included a 26-month sentence being handed down to a man who twice choked his former partner during an argument who remained on the ground ”playing dead.”

Elsewhere, a man who kicked his fiancee about the head in a hotel room was jailed for nine months.

And a court heard that a teenage girl charged with offences arising from the assault of a search and rescue volunteer and his dog cannot go home as she is under an active threat.

Here is your latest round-up of cases before the courts between Tuesday, May 26 and Friday, May 29.

Teen girl charged over attack on rescue volunteer under ‘real threat’

A 17-year-old girl charged with offences arising from the assault of a search and rescue volunteer and his dog cannot go home as she is under an active threat, a court heard on Tuesday.

Newtownards Youth Court heard that the teenager had been living with her mother, but due to a threat against her, she could not stay there.

The 17-year-old girl and three teenage boys, none of whom can be identified because of their ages, are jointly charged with affray on High Street in Bangor on 27 March this year.

The boys, a 13-year-old and two 15-year-olds, are also all charged with causing actual bodily harm to Ryan Gray, while the 17-year-old girl is charged with common assault of the K9 search and rescue volunteer.

The 13-year-old and one of the 15-year-old boys are further charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a dog on the same date.

It is understood that Mr Gray, the founder and a volunteer at K9 Search and Rescue, was walking with his dog Max along the High Street in Bangor when they were attacked by a crowd of young people.

The war veteran told local media that he sustained injuries, including a broken tooth, broken nose, bruised eyes and whiplash-type injuries, and that Max had to be taken to the vet to be checked over after he was kicked and punched.

Passenger ‘allegedly showed seven-inch knife to taxi driver on way to partner’s home’

A taxi passenger allegedly showed off a seven-inch knife to the driver while heading towards his partner’s home, a court heard on Wednesday.

Police claimed Paul Telfair, 45, was armed and declared: “This b*****d better not have anyone in this house.”

He also produced the blade inside a shop and kneed a PSNI officer called to the scene on Monday evening, a judge was told.

Telfair, of no fixed abode, was remanded in custody on charges connected to the incident on the Ballyclare Road in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim.

He is accused of possessing a knife in public, disorderly behaviour, assault on police and criminal damage by spitting inside a PSNI vehicle.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard a taxi driver reported Telfair had the blade when he was collected.

The alleged outburst was captured on the dashcam footage in the taxi. A short time later police detained Telfair outside a shop in the Ballyearl area and located a seven-inch blade in nearby plant pots.

Four men to face trial over alleged NI prostitution racket

Four men are set to be prosecuted together in connection with a suspected prostitution racket operated across Northern Ireland, a court heard on Thursday.

Oliver James MacCormack, 72, has been charged with offences including rape and human trafficking in a case involving two alleged female victims.

A second defendant, 62-year-old Derek Brown, faces counts of paying for sexual services and being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court was told a decision has been taken to join up both sets of proceedings at the same future trial.

A Crown lawyer also disclosed: “There are going to be two others… all four defendants are to be prosecuted on the same bill of indictment.

MacCormack faces a total of 14 charges following an investigation into a suspected large-scale trafficking operation spanning a six-year period.

The allegations against him include causing or inciting prostitution, controlling prostitution for gain and paying for sexual services.

Woman ‘played dead’ as former partner strangled her, court hears

A Dungiven man who twice choked his former partner during an argument has been handed a 26-month sentence.

Ordering Cahir Deeney to serve half his sentence in jail and half on supervised licence conditions, Judge Sandra Crawford told the 38-year-old on Thursday: “this was a short-lived, but nevertheless serious assault”.

“It is fortunate indeed, that the physical injuries were not more serious,” she told Antrim Crown Court, “but the victim has suffered psychological effects and a considerable degree of harm”.

Having been exempted from the ongoing industrial action by criminal barristers in dispute over legal aid fees, Deeney was scheduled to go on trial last March but instead, he entered an 11th hour guilty plea to non-fatal strangulation.

In an agreed set of facts compiled by prosecuting counsel Mark Farrell, the court heard that having been drinking together in Portstewart on 8 December 2024, the couple had gone back to the victim’s home.

Outside however, there was an argument over who had the key to the door and Judge Crawford outlined how the victim pushed Deeney, he called her a b**** and he was told to leave.

Deeney, the court heard, “grabbed her with both hands” around her neck and the pair ended up on the ground, with the defendant “continuing to press into her neck, telling her that he loved her”.

With Deeney pressing both thumbs into her neck, “she felt extreme pain in her throat, she couldn’t breathe or shout for help but she tried to defend herself by pulling at his hair,” said the judge.

Although the victim was not sure if she passed out, “she described remaining on the ground, playing dead.”

Man ‘rained punches’ and kicked fiancee in the head during Belfast hotel attack

A man who kicked his fiancee about the head in a Belfast city centre hotel room was jailed for nine months on Friday.

Paul Kelly, 32, also “rained punches” down on the woman before other guests at the Ibis Hotel intervened, prosecutors said.

The Co Longford man, of no fixed abode, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm to a victim who stated at the time she feared being killed.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard police discovered the woman with obvious injuries to her face and head on April 2 this year.

She said the couple had been drinking in their room at the hotel on Castle Street when he became verbally aggressive and brought up past incidents. She tried to defuse the situation before packing a suitcase and making attempts to leave.

But he dragged her back into the room, threw her on the floor and punched her repeatedly about the head and face while she attempted to hide from the blows.

Other residents who entered the room after hearing the victim’s screams saw Kelly raining punches down on her and shouted at him to stop.

He left the hotel at that stage, but was arrested nearby after police were called to the scene. The woman’s injuries included bruising and swelling to her cheekbone, eye, nose and ear.

Couple who sued Tattle Life website find new way to appeal loss of £300k damages

A Co Antrim couple who sued over abusive comments on gossip website Tattle Life have obtained a new route to appeal against losing their award of £300,000 in damages.

Senior judges in Belfast granted leave for entrepreneurs Neil and Donna Sands to challenge a ruling that their compensation is to be set aside.

A temporary delay was also imposed on lifting an order freezing £1.8m in worldwide assets belonging to the controversial website’s founder, Sebastian Bond.

Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan confirmed the couple’s challenge will now be heard at the Court of Appeal in September.

It represents the latest twist in their protracted defamation action.

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