Man jailed after standing on ex-partner's throat

A man has been jailed for four years and two months following an "appalling assault" in which he stood on his ex-partner's head and throat.

Peter O'Kane, 42, from Drumderg Road in Draperstown, admitted attacking his ex-partner in their home in April 2023, three years after he had carried out another serious assault on her.

"This is one of the worst cases of its type to come before me," Judge Philip Babington told Londonderry Crown Court on Wednesday.

O'Kane had originally denied assaulting the woman but changed his plea to guilty before his trial was due to get underway.

A prosecutor said O'Kane attacked the woman following a verbal argument.

"He grabbed her with both hands around her throat and began to strangle her," he told the court.

The barrister said O'Kane then forced her to the floor, still with his hands on her throat, before before carrying out a prolonged, brutal assault.

"After the assault, he leaned down and whispered to her, 'You are lucky I like you'," the lawyer added.

The victim sustained multiple injuries to various parts of her body.

Judge Babington said that while O'Kane belatedly accepted that his actions were unacceptable and unjustifiable, they were "cowardly and disgraceful".

"This was an appalling assault on his partner who he had assaulted previously in a similar way," the judge said.

"This is one of the worst cases of its type to come before me.

"This man is obviously someone who is used to inflicting violence in a domestic setting."

The judge also imposed a restraining order banning O'Kane from any direct or indirect contact with his victim for the next five years.