Donegal native jailed for 'savage and sustained assault’ on his long term partner

A man previously imprisoned for smuggling illegal immigrants into Britain, has been jailed at Derry Crown Court for what a judge described as ’a savage and sustained assault’ on his long term partner in the presence of three of their children. 

Stephen McLaughlin (45), of Alexander Road in Limavady and originally from Carndonagh in County Donegal, was jailed for six years and eight months at the Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to a series of charges linked to what a judge described as a sustained, pre-meditated and brutal assault on his then long term partner in front of their screaming children at a country park in the Waterside area of Derry city.

Judge Neil Rafferty KC also imposed a three-year extended custodial sentence on McLaughlin the terms of which mean if the Parole Board deems McLaughlin to be dangerous when he applies to be released he can be returned to prison for up to another three years.

The judge additionally disqualified McLaughlin from driving for eight years.

The entire incident was captured on CCTV at the Ness Woods carpark in Killaloo on September 19, 2022.

The footage showed McLaughlin driving his car at speed at his long term partner's car and crashing into the vehicle. Three of their four children were in their mother's damaged car.

A prosecution barrister said McLaughlin inflicted a sustained assault on the woman in the presence of the children and another female who tried to intervene.

During the assault McLaughlin grabbed her by the hair and repeatedly banged get head of the ground claiming the woman "had destroyed my life". He then got her in a head lock and choked her until she almost passed out.

The court heard the woman could hear her children screaming and shouting and she thought McLaughlin was going to kill her.

After the assault McLaughlin drove off at speed leaving his victim prone on the ground. He then drove to Donegal and lived there until he was extradited in February of last year.

Judge Rafferty said McLaughlin carried out the sustained and brutal assault on his ex-partner in front of their four children just two days after the victim had been granted a non-molestation order against him.

"This was a savage and sustained assault during what was a pre-meditated attack which has had devastating consequences for the victim and for her four children", he said.

Judge Rafferty said the children were traumatised by what they'd witnessed as the result of which two of them had developed problematic behavioural issues.

"This injured party deserves nothing but respect for the resilience she has shown over the last few years. The CCTV footage is graphic and in a classic domestic abusive way he uses non-fatal strangulation as a weapon. The victim was choked until she almost passed out", he said.

Judge Rafferty then disclosed that McLaughlin has a criminal record on both sides of the border as well as in England, including for assaulting a previous partner.

"He was on licence at the time of these offences in relation to a conviction for conspiring or assisting unlawful immigration of Afghanistan nationals. He was sentenced to seven years and 271 days at Basildon Crown Court on June 16, 2016 and following these new charges his licence was subsequently revoked", he said.

He then jailed McLaughlin for the offences of threatening to kill, assault, criminal damage to a car, dangerous driving and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.

He also said he would deal with the issue of the imposition of a Violent Offences Prevention Order in September.