Steven Donnelly awaiting sentencing for repeated breaches of his restraining order
Steven Donnelly
Paul Higgins
At this time at 17:55
A bronze medal-winning Commonwealth boxer who frequently hassles his ex has been warned he’s “in actual hazard of going to jail”.
Steven Donnelly was because of be sentenced for 2 breaches of a restraining order however when a choose heard the 34-year-old is due in court docket later this month accused of assault, he opted to adjourn till that trial was heard.
Releasing Donnelly on bail, District Decide Nigel Broderick warned the boxer: “I need to make it clear that you’re in actual hazard of going to jail and the way you conduct your self between now and the sentencing is essential.
“I’m not supplying you with false hope but it surely ought to go with out saying for those who had been to reoffend or breach bail, that may scale back your possibilities of a non-custodial sentence.”
With Donnelly standing within the dock of Ballymena Magistrates Courtroom on Thursday, a prosecuting lawyer outlined how he had despatched textual content messages to his former accomplice over 4 days in June final 12 months, about wanting to finish his life.
Regardless of these suicidal ideas Donnelly additionally requested if he might take their son on vacation, however the court docket was instructed his texts to his ex “made her afraid of what he would do”.
“They’ve been separated for 2 years and he was nonetheless contacting her,” mentioned a lawyer.
On a second invoice of indictment Donnelly, from Dunfane Park in Ballymena, can be accused of breaching the restraining order by contacting his ex “with out affordable excuse” on March 27 this 12 months.
It was revealed {that a} two-year restraining order expires this October and prosecutors at the moment are in search of an 18- month extension.
Within the case due for listening to later this month, the previous boxer is accused of inflicting precise bodily hurt and customary assault arising from an allegedly sectarian, drunken assault on a practice between Coleraine and Ballymena on October 6 final 12 months.