Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Jim Shannon has been charged with common assault of a woman.
In a case listed at Newtownards Magistrates’ Court on Monday, the 71-year-old is alleged to have assaulted a woman on October 1st, 2023.
Shannon, with an address at the DUP offices on Frances Street in Newtownards, did not attend court on Monday, where defence counsel Conan Rea outlined that his client has lodged a defence statement.
The court heard that the Public Prosecution Service will be applying to amend dates on paperwork which they had lodged.
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Rea said, however, that the defence will be objecting to that course of action.
He told Deputy District Judge Trevor Browne that, in that regard, the defence has lodged a skeleton argument detailing its objections.
With prosecuting counsel set to reply to the submissions, Browne adjourned the case to September 1st.
Shannon was first elected to Ards Borough Council in 1985, where he served as mayor in 1991 and 1992.
The DUP politician was elected to the Stormont Assembly in 1998 and was returned in 2003 and 2007.
In 2010, Shannon entered the House of Commons as an MP for Strangford, a position he still holds.
