Man denied bail after ‘threatening to kill’ partner because he thought she cheated on him

Conor Rock is also accused of spitting on the woman and trailing her by the hair during a humiliating outburst of violence last month.

The 32-year-old, of Burren Meadow in Newcastle, faces charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, threats to kill, possession of an offensive weapon, attempted choking, and criminal damage.

The High Court heard that he tried to choke his partner in an “horrific and wanton” attack.

Prosecutor Mark Conlon said police were alerted on December 29 by a cousin of the woman who feared she was going to be killed.

Rock was arrested after he climbed out through a window at her home in Co Down.

In an initial account recorded by police at the scene, the woman claimed he had launched an assault after accusing her of cheating on him.

“She said he spat on her face, kicked her to the ground, pulled her by the hair and threw her onto a table where her head struck a vase,” Mr Conlon submitted.

Rock then allegedly forced her onto the floor, put a large kitchen knife to her throat and stated: “I will f****** kill you, you don’t know what I have done.”

He then held the woman in front of a mirror and subjected her to insults before sitting on her as she tried to crawl away, according to the prosecution.

Amid further alleged threats he held his hands around her neck for up to 60 seconds.

“She said she thought she was going to pass out,” Mr Conlon added.

“The whole incident is believed to have lasted 30 minutes and was only brought to an end by the arrival of police.”

Rock claimed to have pushed his partner in self defence after she scratched his face during a “heated argument”.

Mr Conlon told the court: “He accepts that it was in relation to his belief that she had been unfaithful to him while he was in custody the previous year.”

During the hearing it emerged that the woman and her cousin have both withdrawn their statements of complaint.

But Mr Justice Humphreys noted that was a regular feature in cases of its type.

Denying bail to Rock, the judge said the alleged offences involved domestic violence of the worst kind.

He declared: “Taking the prosecution case at its height, this was an horrific and wanton attack on a female which involved the use of a weapon, the use of humiliation and the use of choking.

“These are all red flags to the courts in this type of behaviour.”