Co Armagh man accused of forcing girlfriend to climb out bedroom window and pushing her off the roof
A Co Armagh man allegedly forced his girlfriend to climb out their bedroom window and pushed her off a roof, the High Court heard today.
The woman broke bones in her feet when she plunged to the ground from an upper level of the house in Portadown, prosecutors said.
Colin McGeown, 33, is also accused of biting and pulling out clumps of her hair as part of the suspected bout of serious domestic violence.
He was refused bail amid further allegations of threatening to burn the woman and her family out of their homes if she did not drop the complaint against him.
McGeown, now with an address at Charlestown Road in Craigavon, denies charges of grievous bodily harm with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in connection with the original incident.
Prosecuting counsel Charlene Dempsey said police were alerted that the complainant was lying on the ground shouting for help outside the property at Garvaghy Grove on August 8 last year.
When officers got to the address they found her lying in bed intoxicated alongside McGeown, with her ankles swollen and in pain.
“She alleged she had an argument with him, during which he pulled her hair, bit her hand and forced her out of the bedroom window onto a small roof,” Ms Dempsey disclosed.
“She said he pushed her off it, causing her to fall approximately 10 feet.”
The woman, who said she agreed to go onto the roof out of fear, was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital for treatment. Medical checks confirmed she had sustained broken bones in her heels and will require further surgery, the court heard.
In a statement she also alleged McGeown had knocked her unconscious by hitting her over the head with a plank of wood in a previous incident.
During police interviews the defendant claimed he only tried to provide help after she fell down the stairs.
McGeown obtained bail in December last year, but was remanded back into custody on a new charge of witness intimidation on February 21.
He allegedly phoned the woman to say she had been lying and telling her to drop the complaint or he would burn her and her family out of their homes, according to the prosecution.
Ms Dempsey said up to 100 calls were made, including one from a man who identified himself as Colin while PSNI officers were with the injured party.
McGeown also denied the alleged intimidation, insisting he did not have a phone and telling police “there are many Colins in the country”.
Defence barrister Aaron Thompson drew a connection between the current allegations and previously withdrawn claims made by the woman that she had jumped off a roof in fear.
“There is almost a carbon copy of that same complaint twice,” he submitted.
“Without delving into the murky waters of victim blaming, this is a fairly troubled relationship and a lady who has real difficulties with alcohol.”
But refusing McGeown’s bid to be released again, His Honour Judge Gilpin cited the allegations of breaching previous terms by contacting the woman.
He stated: (She is) someone who I am told has certain vulnerabilities and would have been susceptible to being intimidated.”