Licence revoked after assault on woman

Nathan Telford (25) assaulted a woman at 3am in a resident’s room at Ballymena’s Simon Community hostel on November 16 where he had been living.

In 2015, Telford was jailed for 20 months and released on a further 20 months on licence after he and two other men and a woman were involved in the head-shaving incident in 2013 at his then flat in Ballymena’s Ballymoney Road.

Telford appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court via video link from Maghaberry jail on Thursday where the court heard his licence has been revoked and he is not due to be released until March.

He was given a two months jail term for the new assault matter on a woman in the Simon Community at Ballymena’s Henry Street.

Telford (25) committed the offence on November 16.

A prosecutor said police were called at 3.13am to the Simon Community after a report of a disturbance between two residents.

Telford grabbed the woman by the arm and twisted it up behind her back.

He told police he was in a resident’s room with others and he believed the woman was going to assault a male so he grabbed her wrist to prevent any attack.

Defence barrister Stephen Law said his client had been on licence for 16 months “with no difficulties whatsoever” but when he moved to the Simon Community “it reintroduced him to the drugs scene”.

He said his client “foolishly intervened” during the hostel incident and accepts “he maybe should have turned his back and walked out the door”.