![\"Our](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1_photo-collage.png\")
Our weekly Northern Ireland courts roundup<\/p>\nIt was a very busy week in the Northern Ireland courtsOur weekly Northern Ireland courts roundup<\/p>\n
The news cycle this past week has been dominated by the tragic murder of pregnant mum-of-two Sarah Montgomery in Donaghadee<\/a>.<\/p>\n And on Wednesday, a 28-year-old man appeared in court charged with the murder of Ms Montgomery<\/a>. Zak Hughes, from Ardglen Place in Belfast, was also charged with child destruction during a brief appearance at Newtownards Magistrates\u2019 Court.<\/p>\n Also before the courts in Northern Ireland<\/a> this week was a 19-year-old man after slurry was spread on a number of streets in Ballymena last weekend ahead of the town’s first Pride parade. Meanwhile a mother who shoved the contents of a cat litter tray into her teenage son\u2019s mouth was jailed this week.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Northern Ireland priest charged with seven more child sex offences<\/a>READ MORE: Belfast man jailed for raping and sexually assaulting teenager<\/a><\/p>\n Below is our weekly roundup of some of those who have been before the courts this week, beginning June 30, 2025.<\/p>\n Look out for:<\/p>\n Slurry incident an \u201cact of protest\u201d against Pride parade, court told<\/strong><\/p>\n A 19-year-old man told police he sprayed hen manure over the streets of Ballymena as an \u201cact of protest\u201d against the town\u2019s first Pride parade, a court heard this week.<\/p>\n Isaac Adams, of Lislaban Road, Cloughmills, appeared before Coleraine Magistrates Court<\/a> on Monday charged with a number of offences following Saturday\u2019s incident.<\/p>\n The court was told that the \u201cprank\u201d has backfired on the farm worker, after he was caught \u201cred-handed\u201d by police <\/a>wearing a balaclava and carrying two empty 25-litre jugs, which had contained manure, in the early hours of Saturday morning.<\/p>\n He has been charged with criminal damage, possessing a lock knife and causing manure to be deposited on the road.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Mother who shoved contents of cat litter tray into son\u2019s mouth jailed<\/strong><\/p>\n A mother who shoved the contents of a cat litter tray into her 13-year-old son\u2019s mouth during a series of assaults has been jailed for six months.<\/p>\n The defendant, Ruth Anne Jennings, 53, from Oakvale Place in Maghera, Co Derry<\/a> admitted three charges of assaulting her now 21-year-old son Jamie Jennings on various dates between July 2012 and November 2016.<\/p>\n Her ex-partner, Brian McMaster, 41, from Upper Princes Street in Ballymena<\/a>, Co Antrim<\/a> also pleaded guilty at the Crown Court in Derry to a single charge of child cruelty by assaulting Jamie in a manner to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to his health on a date between December 2016 and March 2018. He too was sentenced to six months in jail.<\/p>\n The victim Jamie Jennings, who was in court to witness his mother and her former partner being sentenced, waived his right to anonymity so that his mother and her former partner could be named.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Man caught with cash and heroin in city centre phone box jailed<\/strong><\/p>\n A North Belfast man caught dealing in wraps of heroin to known drug users was jailed for four months on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Sean Paul McCann, 37, of Cu Chulainn House<\/a>, Victoria Parade, had previously pleaded guilty to charges<\/a> of possessing heroin with intent to supply and possessing THC \u2018edibles\u2019.<\/p>\n At Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday, McCann was re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to possessing a quantity of diazepam tablets. A charge of possessing heroin was left on the books in the usual terms.<\/p>\n Co-accused Jolene Marie McShane, 25, of no fixed abode, previously pleaded guilty to possessing heroin and was handed a one-year probation order.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Man who raped cousin jailed for 15 months<\/strong><\/p>\n The defendant, who can’t be named to protect the identity of the injured party, will spend an additional 21 months on licence<\/a> when he is released from custody.<\/p>\n As he imposed the three-year sentence, Judge Mark Reel told the father-of-two: “You committed nasty offences in which you took advantage of the condition of your drunken cousin to commit a sexual offence for your own sexual gratification.”<\/p>\n Belfast Crown Court<\/a> heard that in May 2023 both the defendant and the victim were aged 17 and therefore “both children in the eyes of the law.”<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Man appears in court accused of pregnant mum’s murder<\/strong><\/p>\n A 28-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder<\/a> of pregnant mother-of-two Sarah Montgomery in Co Down.<\/p>\n Zak Hughes from Ardglen Place<\/a> in Belfast was also charged with child destruction during his appearance at Newtownards Magistrates\u2019 Court on Wednesday. Dressed in a grey tracksuit, he stood in the dock and nodded when asked if he understood the charges.<\/p>\n No facts of the case were laid out and there was no application for bail. The date of the offences given on court papers was June 27. District Judge Conor Heaney remanded Hughes in custody until July 30.<\/p>\n Ms Montgomery<\/a>, 27, died at her home in Donaghadee in Co Down. Floral tributes have been left outside her house in the Elmfield Walk.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Man who blinded partner\u2019s father in one eye in Christmas assault jailed<\/strong><\/p>\n A 43-year old man who blinded his partner\u2019s father in one eye in a drunken assault on Christmas<\/a> Day then fled across the border was jailed on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Due to the consequences of losing the sight in his left eye, the injured party had to leave his job at Translink<\/a> where he had worked for 44 years. James Fawl also assaulted<\/a> his partner and her mother during the violent incident.<\/p>\n Originally from Co Clare and with an address at Alexandra Park Avenue<\/a> in Belfast, Fawl was handed a two-year sentence which was divided equally between prison and licence. Belfast Crown Court heard that on December 25, 2020, Fawl\u2019s partner hosted a Christmas dinner in her house in the east of the city<\/a>. Her parents were also present and during the course of the day, Fawl consumed a considerable amount of alcohol.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Ex teacher jailed for child sex offences sentenced for breaching probation<\/strong><\/p>\n A FORMER primary school teacher was this week jailed for eight months for breaching the terms of a probation order.<\/p>\n William Maher, of Kings Brae in East Belfast<\/a>, appeared in the dock of Belfast Crown Court<\/a> on Wednesday clean shaven and dressed in a red t-shirt and grey trousers. The 37-year-old was made the subject of a three-year probation order<\/a> in May 2024 for sexually communicating with two young boys.<\/p>\n In May this year, in an unrelated case, he was handed a two year sentence, divided equally between custody and probation. This sentence was imposed for a total of six offences committed against two male pupils he taught at a primary school in east Belfast.<\/p>\n The offending occurred over a period spanning from September 1, 2021 to May 24, 2022. Maher’s offending emerged on November 13, 2023 when the PSNI received a report from one of the boy’s fathers.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Jamie Bryson NAMA verdicts delivered<\/strong><\/p>\n Thursday saw three men cleared at Belfast Crown Court of charges relating to misconduct in public office.<\/p>\n Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, 35, from Rosepark in Donaghadee<\/a>, and co-accused Thomas O\u2019Hara, 41, from Lisnahunshin Road in Cullybackey, were found not guilty of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, relating to a Stormont committee hearing that examined the sale of the National Asset Management Agency\u2019s (Nama) Northern Ireland assets in 2015.<\/p>\n Former Sinn Fein<\/a> MLA Daithi McKay, 43, from Loughan Road in Dunnamanagh \u2013 who was chair of the finance committee at the time, was found not guilty of misconduct in public office.<\/p>\n The long-running Nama trial had related to Mr Bryson\u2019s<\/a> 2015 appearance before the Stormont committee, chaired by Mr McKay, which was investigating the sale of the Nama\u2019s Northern Ireland assets to a US investment fund.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Belfast man jailed for \u201cdrink and drug-fuelled highly dangerous driving\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n A West Belfast man was jailed on Thursday for 11 months for what a judge described as \u201cdrink and drug-fuelled highly dangerous driving\u201d.<\/p>\n David Gerrard Conboy was told he will spend a further 12 months on supervised licence following his release from custody. Conboy, 37, of Caffrey Road, previously pleaded guilty to a total of nine offences<\/a> which included charges of aggravated vehicle taking causing damage, dangerous driving and driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs.<\/p>\n He further admitted having no insurance, failing to remain and failing to report an accident and handling stolen goods. A charge of burglary was left on the books in the usual terms.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n People smuggler jailed for \u201csavage assault\u201d on partner<\/strong><\/p>\n A convicted people smuggler has been jailed for a \u201csavage and sustained assault\u201d assault on his long term partner.<\/p>\n Stephen Andrew McLaughlin, 45 and from Alexander Road in Limavady<\/a> was sentenced to six years and eight months at Derry Crown Court on Thursday.<\/p>\n The court heard how the brutal attack<\/a> was carried out in front of their four children. The court was also told how McLaughlin was \u201con licence at the time of these offences in relation to a conviction for conspiring or assisting unlawful immigration of Afghanistan nationals\u201d.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Probation and community service for police officer convicted of domestic abuse<\/strong><\/p>\n A Downpatrick police officer <\/a>has been given probation and 100 hours community service after pleading guilty to domestic abuse and common assault against a former partner.<\/p>\n Alan McKinney, c\/o PSNI Ardmore, was sentenced at Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court<\/a> on Thursday after previously admitting to a campaign of domestic abuse against a former partner on dates between September 1, 2022 and September 8, 2024.<\/p>\n He had also pleaded guilty to a common assault incident on May 4, 2024.<\/p>\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\n Five men jailed over botched bid to rob drug dealer<\/strong><\/p>\n Finally this week, five men were jailed for their involvement in a botched plot to rob a drug dealer. All five appeared at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday where they sentenced by Judge Patrick Lynch KC on a string of charges<\/a> dating back to November 2022.<\/p>\n Kevin Cassidy, 49, from New Farm Lane<\/a> in Belfast admitted carrying a firearm with intent to commit robbery. Deemed as a dangerous offender by both Probation and the Judge, he was handed an extended custodial sentence comprising of four years custody followed by an extended period of three years on licence.<\/p>\n Michael Francis Ferguson, 40, from Main Street in Glenavy<\/a> admitted the same charge and was handed a sentence of three years and eight months. Patrick Joseph McMahon, 47, from Whiterock Road<\/a> in Belfast pleaded guilty to five charges – including conspiring to rob an unknown person and encouraging or assisting in the commission of a robbery – and was handed a two-year sentence.<\/p>\n Belfast man Conal Neil Hall, 36, from Mayfield Square has a sentence of three years and four months imposed on a charge of intentionally assisting or encouraging robbery.<\/p>\n Warren Shaw, 37, from Squires Hill Road in Belfast admitted carrying out reconnaissance which was capable of assisting robbery and assisting in the commission of a robbery by liaising with his co-defendants and providing a van. He received a four-year sentence.<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage<\/strong> here<\/a> and sign up to our daily newsletter<\/a> here.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It was a very busy week in the Northern Ireland courtsOur weekly Northern Ireland courts roundup The news…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":243322,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5011],"tags":[958,82018,82017,35745,78922,80195,76611,188,94546,42734,73833,378,94547,78693,1144,1618,94545,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-243321","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-northern-ireland","8":"tag-ballymena","9":"tag-belfast-crown-court","10":"tag-belfast-magistrates-court","11":"tag-christmas","12":"tag-co-antrim","13":"tag-co-derry","14":"tag-coleraine","15":"tag-crime","16":"tag-donaghadee","17":"tag-downpatrick","18":"tag-east-belfast","19":"tag-in-the-news","20":"tag-jamie-bryson","21":"tag-north-belfast","22":"tag-northern-ireland","23":"tag-psni","24":"tag-sarah-montgomery","25":"tag-uk","26":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114807748416928933","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=243321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243321\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/243322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=243321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=243321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=243321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_01JZ0GAMC42VYMA653JRK94RX1.jpg\")
Isaac Adams leaves Coleraine Magistrates’ Court, where he was charged in connection to an incident in which slurry was sprayed in Ballymena hours before the town hosted its first Pride parade. (Image: Liam McBurney\/PA Wire)<\/p>\n![\"Ruth](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_JS374025483.jpg\")
Ruth Jennings pictured at court in Derry(Image: Trevor McBride)<\/p>\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_Bridge-Street-High-Street-junctionPNG.png\")
Google Street View of junction of Bridge Street and High Street in Belfast <\/p>\n![\"Belfast](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2_Belfast-courts-stock.jpg\")
Belfast Crown Court(Image: PA Archive\/PA Images)<\/p>\n![\"Zak](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_JS374161110.jpg\")
Zak Hughes(Image: PACEMAKWER BELFAST)<\/p>\n![\"Laganside](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_01JGXT2BWXKHR3Q17EA92GR4G6.jpg\")
Laganside Courts in Belfast (Image: Liam McBurney\/PA Wire)<\/p>\n![\"William](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/3_William-Maher-Court-08_JK.jpg\")
William Maher at a previous court hearing(Image: Reach PLC)<\/p>\n![\"Jamie](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_JS369783809.jpg\")
Jamie Bryson arriving at Laganside Courts for a previous NAMA hearing(Image: Justin Kernoghan )<\/p>\n![\"Stock](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_PXL_20230906_075413482LONG_EXPOSURE-01COVER.jpg\")
Stock image of Laganside court building in Belfast (Image: Belfast Live )<\/p>\n![\"Stephen](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_JS92764487-1.jpg\")
Stephen McLaughlin in an image sent out by Essex police after his conviction for people smuggling (Image: Essex Police)<\/p>\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_Downpatrick-CourthousePNG.png\")
Google Street View of Downpatrick Courthouse <\/p>\n![\"Belfast](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/3_Belfast-Courts-10_JK.jpg\")
Belfast Magistrates Court<\/p>\n