Belfast man accused of kidnapping his partner

A Belfast man accused of kidnapping his partner, allegedly drove at an off-duty sergeant who tried to save her, a court heard on Thursday.

Standing in the dock of Newtownards Magistrates Court, 25-year-old Matthew Gillard was charged with kidnapping his partner, false imprisonment by holding her against her will, common assault, assaulting a police officer and driving dangerously, all alleged to have occurred on 4 April this year.

Giving evidence to the court Detective Constable Keown said he believed he could connect Gillard to each of the charges and that police were objecting to his release on bail amid fears that he would interfere with the investigation or would take flight to Wales.

He outlined how Gillard and his partner were in his Seat Toledo car having McDonald's in East Belfast when he "started questioning her about who she was seeing and her use of social media" when his "tone became loud."

The woman tried to get out of the car but Gillard allegedly put the car into reverse and drove off at speed, racing through a red light on Bloomfield Avenue and “drove at speed towards Dundonald.”

“The whole time the injured party pleaded for him to let her go as she was being held against her will and he refused, saying he wasn’t finished with her yet,” claimed the officer.

When the car reached the Belfast Road in Comber, Gallard parked on a side road “and the injured party saw this as her chance to get away” but as she opened the door to get out, “The defendant grabbed her back and held her with his arm around her neck taking her keys, phone and purse.”

Catch me if you can

In an effort to escape, Gillard’s victim bit him twice on the arm and he let go so she got out and ran off but Gillard allegedly drove after her blocking her path “almost hitting a member of the public.”

DC Keown described how an off duty police sergeant saw Gillard carry his alleged victim over his shoulder and “trailed her back to the car” but when the Sergeant tried to intervene, standing at the front of the car to stop Gallard driving off, he allegedly drove his car at the officer forcing him to get out of the way.

As the woman pleaded for his help, the Sergeant ran alongside the car and managed to get the keys from the ignition through the open drivers window, said the officer but during a struggle between the off duty officer and Gillard, he wrenched the keys from his grasp and sped off with the woman still in the car.

A short time later Gillard let her go in the Grand Parade area of east Belfast but despite knowing cops wanted to speak to him, Gillard refused to hand himself, taunting officers with the message “catch me if you can.”

He is also alleged to have sent his alleged victim a message threatening that if she went to police about the incident he would “ruin her life in every possible way.”

Gillard, from Connsbrook Avenue in east Belfast, did however hand himself into police at Bangor station Wednesday but during police interviews, he refused to answer questions put to him.

DC Keown said police feared that if released Gillard would interfere with his alleged victims account and was likely to abscond to Wales, revealing that on a social media site Gillard had posted a message that he intended to go to Cardiff.

His defence solicitor submitted that he could be released under stringent conditions that would assuage police fears including having to live at an address far removed from that of his alleged victim who, it is understood, is now seeking a non-molestation order against Gillard.

Deputy District Judge Sean O’Hare disagreed however and remanded Gillard into custody to appear again via video link on 1 May.