Pregnant mother facing jail over assault at house party

As a trial at Belfast Crown Court was about to enter its second day, a barrister representing Alana McCallion asked that she be re-arraigned on a charge of causing the injured woman grievous bodily harm with intent.

The 23-year old pleaded not guilty to the offence - but admitted a lesser charge of causing the woman grievous bodily harm.

Judge Neil Rafferty QC addressed the jury of nine women and eight men and told them to return a verdict of ‘guilty by confession’.

When the case was opened to the jury on Monday, they were told McCallion, from Lewis Court in Belfast, was accused of repeatedly punching a woman in the face.

It was the Crown’s case that the violent incident occurred at a house in north Belfast which, at the time, was occupied by McCallion.

Several people were present at the party, and in the early hours of November 18, 2017, a fight between two male revellers broke out. This prompted McCallion to tell everyone the party was over and she asked everyone to leave.

A prosecuting barrister said that as the complainant was leaving “words were exchanged” between her and McCallion which led to McCallion “pulling her to the ground by the hair and repeatedly punching her about the face”.

She went home but attended the Ulster Hospital later that day, where it emerged that her jaw had been broken in two places, which required surgery.

McCallion was ordered to return back to court on April 1 for sentencing.