Lurgan man told 'domestic violence is a serious matter' by judge

Scott Peter Woods, aged 33, of Donard Gardens in Lurgan, was accused of assaulting a woman on August 21, 2022.

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A prosecution lawyer told Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday (January 6) that on Sunday, August 21 last year at around 1am, police received reports from a member of the public that a male and female were fighting in the street.

They arrived at 1.20am and spoke to the injured party. She said that at around 1am that morning she and her fiancé were arguing on the street in an alley way leading to Glenfield Road, Lurgan over his behaviour throughout the evening. She said she was grabbed by her neck and pushed into a wall which grazed her lip. She thought the defendant was going to punch her. The defendant was arrested.

The lawyer said that during interview Woods acceded there was ‘a bit of scuffling going on and I snatched the phone out of her hand’ but he said he had put her against the wall ‘to calm her down’. He denied he had pushed her into a wall and denied he had given her the impression he was going to punch her. He said he did not cause the scratch to the side of her neck and swelling to the lip. He said he stood at the fence and held her to calm her down.

A defence lawyer said the defendant is under no illusions about how seriously the courts treat domestic violence.

“It was accepted by him that by grabbing her phone he has initiated the whole incident in any event, so he accepted it and pleaded guilty,” the lawyer said.

"There is no domestic violence in his record and I would ask Your Worship to give him credit for that plea. They have been separated while he has been on bail during this case but they are due to get married in May. He realises now that he was wrong and he shouldn’t have done it and made her feel vulnerable. He has curtailed his drinking.”

District Judge Bernie Kelly said: “Mr Woods, domestic violence is a serious matter” and sentenced him to 120 hours Community Service.