An English man accused of harassing his ex-partner has been banned from entering Northern Ireland by a Derry judge.
Jerome O’Kelly, 41, whose address was given as Ard Grange, appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court accused of ‘crimes of violence’ related ‘to his ex-partner and her current partner’. He’s charged with two counts of harassment and making threats to kill between April 30 – August 6, 2017, and breaching a non-molestation order on September 27.
And is further charged with possessing articles in connection with fraud, breaching a non-molestation order, common assault, and fraud by false representation between July 1 and December 10, 2017.
A Public prosecutor said the defendant had been granted bail by the High Court to reside in England – as he’s originally from Bournemouth.
A bail variation was requested by defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott to allow the 41-year-old to return to Derry where he had been offered contractual work as a ‘gas fitter’ by the Inner City Trust.
A police officer described the defendant as a ‘domestic perpetrator’ and believed this was an effort to return to Derry ‘to reengage with the victims’ which the alleged injured parties are ‘fearful’ of.
Mr MacDermott said the specifics of his client’s bail conditions were ‘unclear’.
District Judge Barney McElholm said he would suggest that O’Kelly stays in Bournemouth and ‘for clarity’ regarding bail he added a condition: O’Kelly ‘must not enter Northern Ireland unless specifically directed by a court in this jurisdiction to attend a scheduled court sitting – that will make it clear to him.’
The bail variation was refused and O’Kelly’s case will be listed for a court sitting on March 2.
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