Man sentenced to prison for strangling ex-partner in Londonderry

Kieran Breslin, 44, of Duncreggan Road in Derry, has been incarcerated after admitting to strangling, assaulting, and threatening to kill his former partner in Londonderry. He received a 15-month prison sentence for a charge of non-fatal strangulation of his then-partner, an incident that took place in July. Breslin also confessed to threatening the woman’s life, physically assaulting her, and violating a non-molestation order on the same date. District Judge Barney McElholm informed Londonderry Magistrates’ Court on Thursday that the judicial system is determined to eradicate domestic abuse crimes. The judge was apprised that a woman’s voice could be heard on a 999 call stating: “You put your hands around my neck” during “a disturbance” on July 7, 2024. Police traced the call to the defendant’s phone and subsequently attended the address, where they found Breslin and a woman present. The woman informed officers that an argument had occurred upstairs, and Breslin then followed her downstairs. She recounted that he had grabbed her by the throat and squeezed until she passed out. The woman further told officers that Breslin had pushed her across a coffee table, threatened to kill her, and punched her to the head several times. The defendant claimed that the woman had attacked him. Breslin told police he had no memory of what had transpired and accepted that he had gone to the woman’s home in breach of the order. Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley stated that his client waived his right to a pre-sentence report. He added that Breslin “accepts and regrets” his behaviour that night and was attempting to get his life on track. Judge McElholm commented that the offences were “very serious” and that there had been “an explosion” of strangulation offences in recent years. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.