Man in his 20s granted bail on strangulation charge in Ballyshannon

A man in his 20s charged with strangling and assaulting a woman was granted bail by Judge Éiteáin Cunningham at Ballyshannon District Court, subject to strict conditions.

The accused, whose name cannot be disclosed, faced charges under sections 3A(1)(a) and 3(3) of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 (as amended by the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023) for intentionally or recklessly strangling the woman, and additional assault charges under sections 3(1) and 3(2) of the same Act.

The man’s mother acted as an independent surety, but an active bench warrant for an unpaid TV licence fine required her to settle the fine before the surety could be approved. After the fine was paid following execution of the warrant by a Detective Sergeant, the court approved the surety.

Bail was set at €1,000, with €500 lodged in cash and the remaining €500 provided by the mother as surety. Conditions include daily sign‑in at a designated Garda station, a curfew from 10 pm to 7 am, surrender of passport, 24‑hour mobile contactability for An Garda Síochána, a ban on driving a mechanically propelled vehicle, and a frozen bank account balance not to fall below €500.

Judge Cunningham warned that any breach could lead to revocation of bail, and the case was adjourned to a District Court sitting next week.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: Adrien Olichon / Pexels.