Woman was strangled with belt by man she met on Facebook, court is told

A woman was allegedly strangled with a belt after going to the home of a stranger she met on Facebook, a court heard.
Belfast Magistrates' CourtBelfast Magistrates' Court
Belfast Magistrates' Court

Prosecutors claimed she pleaded to be allowed to leave the flat in west Belfast and showed pictures of her children.

Ciaran Connolly, 29, is accused of carrying out the drink and drug-fuelled attack on Saturday.

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Connolly, of Upper Suffolk Road in the city, denies charges of false imprisonment, threats to kill, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and attempted choking with intent.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard the woman travelled to his apartment following contact through social media.

She alleged that after smoking cannabis Connolly went out to an off licence while she fell asleep.

On his return he tried to kiss the woman and then produced a belt when she resisted, according to her account.

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She claimed Connolly told her: “If I’m going to jail, I’m going to jail for something.”

He allegedly pushed the woman onto the sofa and tightened the belt around her neck, despite being told that she wouldn’t “tout”.

A Crown lawyer submitted: “She said she was gasping for air and thought she was going to pass out.

“She felt like it went on for a long time, but probably two to three minutes.”

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Connolly then allegedly removed the belt and started pacing about, talking to himself.

The woman claimed she ran downstairs at that stage, but was grabbed from behind and told she was going nowhere.

The belt was put round her neck again as she kicked out and tried to speak, the prosecutor claimed.

“She thought she as going to die, and all she could think about was her children and family,” he said.

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District Judge Mark Hamill was told the woman tried to provide reassurance that “nobody needs to know” what had allegedly happened.

“She said she took out a picture she had in her bag of her two children, said ‘I’m a mummy’ and started crying,” the Crown lawyer added.

It was claimed that at one point she tried to record the conversation and send it to her sister.

Police were alerted after she left the flat and told a member of the public that she had been strangled.

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Connolly denies any violence towards the woman or preventing her from leaving his flat, and claimed he had been “set up”.

He said they had kissed consensually before he left to get alcohol.

Defence counsel Joel Lyndsay argued: “A number of people had arrived at his home, drink and drugs were taken.

“These are very serious allegations being made against him, but all he can say is that this didn’t happen.”

Granting bail, Mr Hamill emphasised his decision was based on the defendant and complaint being unlikely to ever meet again.

Connolly is due to appear in court again in four weeks time.