Dungannon man gets three months in prison for '˜sinister ambitions'

A man who twice breached a restraining order in an attempt to see his former girlfriend's pregnancy scan has been jailed for three months.
Dungannon CourthouseDungannon Courthouse
Dungannon Courthouse

Rafael de Silva Martins, 20, from Ashdene Heights, breached the court order on June 21 and July 18 when he attended the woman’s Dungannon home.

Police reported that he remained calm throughout and claimed that contact had been initiated by the woman and that his only concern was for the welfare of her and their unborn child.

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Mr Blaine Nugent, defending, described how the restraining order had been imposed after his client had attempted to “physically manhandle” the woman into taking a pregnancy test.

“He hasn’t explored proper channels in the lead up to the birth of his child. Nothing I can say excuses his behaviour or argument.

“He presented at her door with flowers and was persistent. There was no violence. These matters have been accepted from the outset.”

Considering the defendant’s “sinister ambitions” and “manipulative personality”, District Judge John Meehan said, “In relation to there being no violence ... it is not about that. It is about his defiance of a court order.

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“You have shown remarkable determination to fixate upon this woman.

“There can be no latitude for that in this court.

“For the second time in two weeks he breached bail. That clemency (shown by the court) has been rewarded with defiance.”

He then handed down a prison sentence of three months before fixing bail for appeal in the sum of £200.