Threatened to kill a woman

Shane Murphy, from Dingwell Park in Lurgan, stood in the dock at Craigavon Crown Court in a grey tracksuit while the litany of charges were read to him.

Two charges of rape and one charge of sexual assault by penetration were not put to the defendant.

A prosecution barrister said he had been instructed not to proceed with these remaining three counts.

However, 25-year-old Murphy pleaded guilty to nine counts of common assault and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He also pleaded guilty to one charge of threatening to kill a woman, one charge of falsely imprisoning a woman. He further pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage.

All of the charges relate to an incident on November 11, 2015.

The court heard that Murphy had been in custody for the best part of a year as his mother was ill and they were unable to find suitable accommodation due to the rape allegations and there was nowhere for him in ‘public accommodation’.

Murphy’s defence barrister said: “We are now seeking to find him accommodation.”

He added that his client suffered from depression and had self harmed.

Judge Patrick Lynch ordered pre-sentence reports on Murphy to be arranged.

The case was adjourned until February 17.