A 44-year-old Derry man accused of harassing an ex-partner was sprayed with CS gas by police when he answered the door armed with a hammer and refused to drop it.
John McBride of Celadine Court appeared before Derry Magistrates Court charged with harassment between March 28 and April 15, 2018.
He also faces a charge of criminal damage on April 1 and possessing an offensive weapon, namely a hammer, on April 16, 2018.
A police officer in court said that they could connect McBride to the charges and that police were opposing bail.
He said that the charges related to McBride’s former partner with whom he had shared a 15-year relationship. The officer said that McBride had allegedly subjected his former partner and her family to a campaign of 'organised harassment' after the relationship broke down in February.
The officer told the court that on March 27, the alleged injured party received text messages at 4am and she believed they were from McBride. She continued to receive text messages and phone calls.
The woman received a message on March 30 that said, 'I have lots of friends and I am 55ft from your house.' This was followed by other messages saying police were going to the wrong house.
On March 31 there was also a number of fast food deliveries sent to the woman’s address that she had not ordered.
Then on April 1, a further 34 text messages were sent and a car belonging to the niece of McBride’s ex-partner was damaged on the driver's side. A message was sent telling the woman to check her car on the driver's side.
Another message followed saying, 'Things are only going to get worse.'
This was followed by even more fast food deliveries and taxis that had not been ordered coming to the woman’s home. In another message the woman was called 'an RUC/PSNI tout.'
After police investigation, it was believed the phone the messages were coming from McBride's nephew’s phone, but further messages were then received taunting the woman by saying police were going to the wrong houses.
On April 16, police located McBride. He came out of the house with a hammer in his hand. He was warned to drop it and, when he didn’t head the warning, CS spray was deployed.
Curfew
During police interview, McBride denied all the allegations against him.
The police officer in court said that police were objecting to bail due to fear of further offences and interference with witnesses.
He said since the relationship had ended between McBride and his former partner of 15 years, there had been 10 incidents logged.
Nicola Coulter, defence counsel, said that McBride had originally been released on police bail and would be denying the offences.
Deputy District Judge Oonagh Mullan said they were ‘serious offences’ but that she would release McBride on continuing bail.
McBride must observe a curfew, be electronically tagged and monitored and must have no contact whatsoever with the alleged injured parties. He is also banned from entering the city side of Derry.
McBride will appear back before the court again on May 14.
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