Man who attacked his girlfriend given community service

A man who attacked and urinated on his girlfriend outside a Belfast nightclub has been given 100 hours of community service. Matthew McIlroy (22) was also ordered to complete 12 months probation and was fined £350 (about €388) for what the judge described as an act of degradation.

McIlroy, Paisleys Road, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, pleaded guilty to charges of indecent behaviour and common assault. He also admitted a further count of causing criminal damage to his now ex-partner's clothing.

On Tuesday, Belfast Magistrates' Court heard how the incident occurred as the couple rowed outside El Divino nightclub at Mays Meadow in the city on July 2nd. Door staff were said to have intervened, before McIlroy then ran up and punched his girlfriend in the face, causing bruising to her eye. McIlroy was said to have urinated at one point, and was accused of deliberately urinating on the woman.

Following his arrest, McIlroy insisted he had accidentally urinated on his girlfriend as he was being wrestled to the ground by nightclub staff.

Michael Loughrey, defending, said: "He maintains he did it inadvertently. However, it is accepted that whether it was a deliberate act by him or not, the impact on the injured party would have been very distressing." Mr Loughrey said his client wanted to publicly apologise for what had happened.

“The relationship is over,” he confirmed. “From what I understand the injured party has moved on with her life . . . and Mr McIlroy wishes to move on with his.”

Passing sentence, the judge told the defendant: “There’s an element of degradation involved in this. You are, to say the least, a well-built man. When you have the personal strength you do, it’s just a most distressing incident.”

Deciding not to jail McIlroy for the assault and criminal damage, the judge instead imposed community service and probation, to include one-to-one sessions on respectful relationships. He fined him for the indecent behaviour.