Woman seriously injured after alleged assault in Fivemiletown

A WOMAN was discovered with serious facial injuries after police responded to reports of a disturbance in Fivemiletown, a court has heard.

As a result, Alex Powell (20), of Nelson Park, faces charges including unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on a female, assault, damaging property, and possessing a curtain pole as a weapon.

According to a detective constable, police arrived at the scene shortly after noon on Sunday to find extensive damage to the property.

Enniskillen Magistrates Court was told that every window in the house had been smashed and there was shattered glass both inside and outside the house.

Powell was found in an upstairs bedroom with an axe and a curtain pole beside him.

When arrested, Powell allegedly said he, “Got angry and smashed all the windows”.

The woman involved suffered a substantial cut above her upper lip and her teeth ‘were visible through the laceration’.

She told police she and Powell had an argument and in the course of this, he smashed all the windows with an axe.

He then allegedly “threw a curtain pole with force which struck her above the mouth”.

The woman attended South West Acute Hospital from where she was transferred to Altnagelvin Hospital for surgery as it was suspected she had sustained a facial fracture.

Powell admitted to causing property damage but denied assaulting the woman with the curtain pole.

Objecting to bail, a police detective expressed concerns about Powell’s potential for reoffending, citing his classification as a high-risk perpetrator of domestic violence. Powell also disclosed addiction issues and threats of self-harm, they said.

Despite the defence’s request for bail with strict conditions, District Judge Alana McSorley refused, considering the severity of the allegations and the risk Powell poses.

Powell was remanded in custody to appear again by video-link at Dungannon Magistrates Court on February 21.