Fermanagh man first to be charged with new strangulation law

AN Enniskillen accountant is the first person to be charged under new non-fatal strangulation legislation.

Appearing before Strabane Magistrates Court today (Thursday) via video link, James Armstrong (47), of Rossfad Road, Ballinamallard was arrested yesterday after a witness said that they saw him put a woman in a headlock and headbutt her three times.

The charge comes only three days since non-fatal strangulation or asphyxiation was made a specific criminal offence in Northern Ireland, punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment.

Armstrong, who was said to have over 350 accountancy clients, is also charged with stealing the same person’s phone and threatening to kill them.

The court heard that the alleged injured party audio recorded the incident and a PSNI officer said the recording picked up Armstrong threatening to kill the woman. The officer also claimed that three thuds were audible, thuds which they claimed were the headbutts.

During interview, Armstrong contended that, in the recording, he was threatening to ‘kill the phone’ and that he was just talking louder than normal but ‘was not aggressive’.

He denied the assault and strangulation charges against him.

However, his application for bail was denied by District Judge Alana McSorley due to a high likelihood of re-offending.

He will appear before Enniskillen Magistrates Court on July 27.