Here is your round-up of cases heard before courts around Northern Ireland from May 26-29

Cases before Northern Ireland courts this past week included a 26-month sentence being handed down to a man who twice choked his former partner during an argument who remained on the ground ”playing dead.”

Elsewhere, a man who kicked his fiancee about the head in a hotel room was jailed for nine months.

And a court heard that a teenage girl charged with offences arising from the assault of a search and rescue volunteer and his dog cannot go home as she is under an active threat.

Here is your latest round-up of cases before the courts between Tuesday, May 26 and Friday, May 29.

Teen girl charged over attack on rescue volunteer under ‘real threat’

A 17-year-old girl charged with offences arising from the assault of a search and rescue volunteer and his dog cannot go home as she is under an active threat, a court heard on Tuesday.

Newtownards Youth Court heard that the teenager had been living with her mother, but due to a threat against her, she could not stay there.

The 17-year-old girl and three teenage boys, none of whom can be identified because of their ages, are jointly charged with affray on High Street in Bangor on 27 March this year.

The boys, a 13-year-old and two 15-year-olds, are also all charged with causing actual bodily harm to Ryan Gray, while the 17-year-old girl is charged with common assault of the K9 search and rescue volunteer.

The 13-year-old and one of the 15-year-old boys are further charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a dog on the same date.

It is understood that Mr Gray, the founder and a volunteer at K9 Search and Rescue, was walking with his dog Max along the High Street in Bangor when they were attacked by a crowd of young people.

The war veteran told local media that he sustained injuries, including a broken tooth, broken nose, bruised eyes and whiplash-type injuries, and that Max had to be taken to the vet to be checked over after he was kicked and punched.

Passenger ‘allegedly showed seven-inch knife to taxi driver on way to partner’s home’

A taxi passenger allegedly showed off a seven-inch knife to the driver while heading towards his partner’s home, a court heard on Wednesday.

Police claimed Paul Telfair, 45, was armed and declared: “This b*****d better not have anyone in this house.”

He also produced the blade inside a shop and kneed a PSNI officer called to the scene on Monday evening, a judge was told.

Telfair, of no fixed abode, was remanded in custody on charges connected to the incident on the Ballyclare Road in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim.

He is accused of possessing a knife in public, disorderly behaviour, assault on police and criminal damage by spitting inside a PSNI vehicle.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard a taxi driver reported Telfair had the blade when he was collected.

The alleged outburst was captured on the dashcam footage in the taxi. A short time later police detained Telfair outside a shop in the Ballyearl area and located a seven-inch blade in nearby plant pots.

Four men to face trial over alleged NI prostitution racket

Four men are set to be prosecuted together in connection with a suspected prostitution racket operated across Northern Ireland, a court heard on Thursday.

Oliver James MacCormack, 72, has been charged with offences including rape and human trafficking in a case involving two alleged female victims.

A second defendant, 62-year-old Derek Brown, faces counts of paying for sexual services and being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court was told a decision has been taken to join up both sets of proceedings at the same future trial.

A Crown lawyer also disclosed: “There are going to be two others… all four defendants are to be prosecuted on the same bill of indictment.

MacCormack faces a total of 14 charges following an investigation into a suspected large-scale trafficking operation spanning a six-year period.

The allegations against him include causing or inciting prostitution, controlling prostitution for gain and paying for sexual services.

Woman ‘played dead’ as former partner strangled her, court hears

A Dungiven man who twice choked his former partner during an argument has been handed a 26-month sentence.

Ordering Cahir Deeney to serve half his sentence in jail and half on supervised licence conditions, Judge Sandra Crawford told the 38-year-old on Thursday: “this was a short-lived, but nevertheless serious assault”.

“It is fortunate indeed, that the physical injuries were not more serious,” she told Antrim Crown Court, “but the victim has suffered psychological effects and a considerable degree of harm”.

Having been exempted from the ongoing industrial action by criminal barristers in dispute over legal aid fees, Deeney was scheduled to go on trial last March but instead, he entered an 11th hour guilty plea to non-fatal strangulation.

In an agreed set of facts compiled by prosecuting counsel Mark Farrell, the court heard that having been drinking together in Portstewart on 8 December 2024, the couple had gone back to the victim’s home.

Outside however, there was an argument over who had the key to the door and Judge Crawford outlined how the victim pushed Deeney, he called her a b**** and he was told to leave.

Deeney, the court heard, “grabbed her with both hands” around her neck and the pair ended up on the ground, with the defendant “continuing to press into her neck, telling her that he loved her”.

With Deeney pressing both thumbs into her neck, “she felt extreme pain in her throat, she couldn’t breathe or shout for help but she tried to defend herself by pulling at his hair,” said the judge.

Although the victim was not sure if she passed out, “she described remaining on the ground, playing dead.”

Man ‘rained punches’ and kicked fiancee in the head during Belfast hotel attack

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A man who kicked his fiancee about the head in a Belfast city centre hotel room was jailed for nine months on Friday.

Paul Kelly, 32, also “rained punches” down on the woman before other guests at the Ibis Hotel intervened, prosecutors said.

The Co Longford man, of no fixed abode, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm to a victim who stated at the time she feared being killed.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard police discovered the woman with obvious injuries to her face and head on April 2 this year.

She said the couple had been drinking in their room at the hotel on Castle Street when he became verbally aggressive and brought up past incidents. She tried to defuse the situation before packing a suitcase and making attempts to leave.

But he dragged her back into the room, threw her on the floor and punched her repeatedly about the head and face while she attempted to hide from the blows.

Other residents who entered the room after hearing the victim’s screams saw Kelly raining punches down on her and shouted at him to stop.

He left the hotel at that stage, but was arrested nearby after police were called to the scene. The woman’s injuries included bruising and swelling to her cheekbone, eye, nose and ear.

Couple who sued Tattle Life website find new way to appeal loss of £300k damages

A Co Antrim couple who sued over abusive comments on gossip website Tattle Life have obtained a new route to appeal against losing their award of £300,000 in damages.

Senior judges in Belfast granted leave for entrepreneurs Neil and Donna Sands to challenge a ruling that their compensation is to be set aside.

A temporary delay was also imposed on lifting an order freezing £1.8m in worldwide assets belonging to the controversial website’s founder, Sebastian Bond.

Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan confirmed the couple’s challenge will now be heard at the Court of Appeal in September.

It represents the latest twist in their protracted defamation action.

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There are delays on the M4 outside Cardiff on Saturday morning due to a crash.

Two lanes of the motorway are shut on the westbound side near Junction 30.

According to traffic monitoring service Inrix: “Two lanes closed and slow traffic due to an accident on M4 Westbound before J30 A4232 Pentwyn Link Road (Cardiff Gate). Accident is at the start of the Exit Slip for Junction 30.”

Traffic Wales has advised motorists to expect delays and to allow extra time for travel.

Follow all the latest with our live updates below:

See how many of our 20 driving theory quiz questions you can answer correctly

Driving tests have recently made headlines for long booking wait times. To help tackle the problem, the Government introduced a sweeping ban on May 12, preventing driving instructors from booking tests and aiming to dismantle a thriving black market.

The new regulations introduced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) strip instructors of their ability to manage student bookings. From now on, the responsibility lies solely with the learners.

Officials hope this digital barricade will thwart profiteers who use automated “bots” to snap up available slots the moment they appear, only to resell them to desperate learners at a massive mark-up.

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To become a driver legally in the UK, you need to pass the driving test and show that you know the Highway Code.

But before any hopeful driver can try their hand at a practical test, they must pass a driving theory test.

The theory test for both car and motorcycle drivers challenges participants on a wide variety of safety situations, rules of the road, hazards, and other common things a driver will encounter.

Once someone passes their theory test, they have two years to get their full licence before needing to retake the test. But many drivers may find themselves forgetting a lot of what they learned two years ago.

Furthermore, many drivers who passed their practical tests a long time ago might find themselves forgetting much of what’s in the Highway Code.

We’ve compiled a short quiz to test your knowledge of a variety of subjects that may appear in a theory test.

Try out our 20-question quiz below and see if you could pass. Currently, the theory test pass mark is 86 per cent – so in order to pass our quiz, you must get at least 17 questions correct.

If you can’t see the quiz below, click here to open in your browser.

Every year, pupils at Cundall Manor School, near Easingwold, climb into handmade go-karts and race downhill in front of hundreds of cheering spectators in one of the school’s most eagerly anticipated traditions.

Recommended reading:

Cundall Manor School’s annual go-kart race (Image: Supplied)

Despite entries from comic book and cartoon heroes, this year, the fastest time of the day belonged to two boys racing in a bathtub on wheels, delighting the crowd as they sped across the finish line.

Everyone from Mario to Batman got involved in Cundall Manor School’s annual go-kart race (Image: Supplied)

The head teacher at Cundall Manor School Simon Weale said at a time when childhood is often accused of becoming overprotected and overly supervised, they are embracing risk — and teaching resilience because of it.

“The annual race, held on the steep hill outside the school, is far more than a spectacle,” he said.

“Behind the excitement lies a deliberate lesson in courage, problem-solving and character-building.

“Pupils spend weeks designing and constructing their own karts (a collaboration between pupil and parent) before taking on the challenge of racing them in front of parents, teachers and classmates.

“There are bumps, wobbles and the potential of a crash landing, but staff believe that element of genuine risk is precisely what makes the experience so valuable.

“In an age where many children are increasingly shielded from failure, discomfort or uncertainty, the event offers something rare: the chance to confront fear head-on and emerge stronger for it.”

Mario heading down hill in the race (Image: Supplied)

A school spokesperson went on to say: “Children need opportunities to test themselves.

“The go-kart race teaches resilience in the truest sense. Things could go wrong. Wheels could fall off. Nerves kick in. But the pupils adapt, persevere and keep going.

“To stand at the top of that hill, in front of a crowd, and launch yourself downhill in something you built yourself takes real courage.”

The school says the race has become symbolic of a wider educational philosophy gaining attention across the country: that resilience cannot simply be taught in the classroom, but must be experienced through challenge, responsibility and managed risk.

Cundall Manor School’s annual go-kart race (Image: Supplied)

“The message resonates at a time when the role of schools is rapidly changing. With artificial intelligence expected to transform the future workplace, educators are increasingly questioning which human skills will matter most in the decades ahead,” said the spokesperson.

“Recent studies suggest that as many as 65 per cent of children entering primary school today will eventually work in jobs that do not yet exist. At the same time, employers consistently rank resilience, adaptability, teamwork, creativity and communication among the most valuable future skills — qualities far harder to automate than technical knowledge alone.

“Experiences such as a downhill go-kart race are being viewed not as old-fashioned traditions, but as increasingly relevant preparation for modern life.”

The school believes the annual downhill dash serves as a reminder that sometimes the best lessons come with scraped knees, racing hearts and the bravery to let go of the brakes.

Cundall Manor School’s annual go-kart race getting underway (Image: Supplied)

Arsenal go in search of a historic double on Saturday when they take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest (5pm, TNT Sports and HBO Max).

They have already secured the Premier League title, and now Mikel Arteta’s side could win this competition for the first time, if they can overcome the reigning champions.

The Gunners have been favourites to lift the trophy since they finished top of the league table with eight wins from eight, but something has shifted and the French side are now preferred by betting sites.

Being the underdogs won’t bother Arsenal though, in fact, it takes the pressure off a side who only secured their first league title in 22 years with one game to go, despite being top since 4 October.

PSG also finished top of their respective league, finishing six points clear of Lens to secure their fifth successive title and they have been in excellent form of late, barring defeat last time out against city rivals Paris FC.

While Arsenal have somewhat limped over the line with five of their last six wins being by a single goal, PSG have scored 18 in their last eight games, and their front line has been in excellent form all season.

Between them, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha and Desire Doue have scored 28 goals in the competition, which is only one less than the whole Arsenal team.

In total, PSG have scored 44 goals in their 16 Champions League games, the most in the competition, just ahead of Bayern Munich, while Arsenal have managed just 29 from their 14 appearances, the same as Newcastle.

In stark contrast, though, Arsenal have only conceded six goals, while Saturday’s opponents conceded 22, which is among the highest in the competition.

This will be just the 10th meeting between the two sides, but it is a repeat of last year’s semi-final when Luis Enrique’s side won 3-1 on aggregate.

They won 1-0 at Arsenal courtesy of a fourth-minute strike from Ousmane Dembele before goals from Fabian Ruiz, Achraf Hakimi in Paris secured their place in the final. Bukayo Saka did pull a late goal back, but it made no difference to the outcome.

We all know what happened next, as PSG lifted the trophy for the first time with a 5-0 thrashing of Inter in the final.

This is just Arsenal’s second appearance in the final, their only other one coming exactly 20 years ago when they faced Barcelona in the Stade de France.

Defender Sol Campbell gave the Gunners the lead in the first half but two goals in four second-half minutes turned the tie on its head. Samuel Eto’o equalised for the Spanish giants before Juliano Belletti scored the winner 10 minutes from time.

As good as Arsenal’s defence have been this season, they are yet to face a side with the attacking quality of PSG. As we saw against Liverpool, Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, PSG are unplayable on their day.

The Gunners have also reached the final without playing any of Europe’s elite, and while that was pure chance, it could prove detrimental against a side looking to be the first French side to retain the trophy.

PSG are odds-on with football betting sites to lift the trophy, but the better option may be to back them to get the job done in 90 minutes.

PSG vs Arsenal prediction 1: PSG to win – 13/10 BetVictor

If Arsenal are to win this one, they are going to have to keep Khvicha Kvaratskhelia quiet, because he has been instrumental to their success this season.

The Georgian already has 10 goals and six assists in 15 appearances in the competition and 23 goals for club and country this season.

Seven of his goals have come in the knock-out stages of the Champions League and he seems to like playing against English sides with three against Chelsea and another against Liverpool. He also scored against Aston Villa last season and was on target in the final.

He’s 5/2 to score anytime on some betting apps or you can get 7/1 on him scoring first, as he has done seven times already this season.

PSG vs Arsenal prediction 2: Kvaratskhelia to score or assist – 23/20 BetMGM

PSG: Achraf Hakimi is a doubt for the final with a thigh injury suffered in the semi-final first leg against Bayern. He is back in full training, so he could take a place on the bench.

Arsenal: Noni Madueke and Jurrien Timber are both doubts for the game, but Ben White is definitely out with a knee injury.

PSG: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, João Neves; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia

Arsenal: Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

There’s a host of Champions League offers available for Sunday’s final, but the pick of the bunch might be from Coral, who are offering odds of 50/1 on both teams to score.

The offer is only open to new customers who sign up using the link above and then make a first deposit of at least £10 using an eligible payment method.

The next step is to wager a maximum of £1 on both teams to score in the PSG vs Arsenal match market at the standard odds.

If both teams find the net, Coral will pay out in cash on the £1 bet and credit bettors with 10 x £5 free bet tokens to equal a payout at 50/1.

The free bets are valid for four days and can be used on any sport on the Coral sportsbook, excluding virtual sports.

If you are having a bet on the Champions League final, don’t forget to stay in control of your time and budget on gambling sites. The same applies whether you’re using betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium.

Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses.

It’s particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino bonuses you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.

You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.

You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Mourinho was seen speaking with Vinicius after he walked off the pitch following the interaction with Prestianni.

But it was Mourinho’s post-match comments that were the most shocking.

While publicly backing his player Prestianni, Mourinho suggested Vinicius had incited tensions through his celebration in front of the home support.

“You score a goal from another world, why celebrate like that?” Mourinho said.

“The same thing always happens in so many stadiums. In how many states has this happened? In how many stadiums? How many? How many?

“He’s an out of this world player, I love him. Vinicius tells me one thing and Prestianni tells me another. I want to be balanced.”

The remarks sparked widespread criticism, with many accusing Mourinho of shifting attention away from the racism allegations and placing responsibility on the victim instead.

In addition to expressing his belief that Vinicius had been disrespectful with his goal celebration, he pointed to the club’s legendary striker Eusebio as proof that Benfica are not a racist club.

Asked if he felt Vinicius incited the crowd, Mourinho said: “Yes. I believe so.

“It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal. Unfortunately [he was] not just happy to score that astonishing goal. When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way.”

He added: “When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person in the history of this club [Eusebio] was black.

“This club, the last thing that it is, is racist. They [Vinicius and Prestianni] told me different things. But I don’t believe in one or another. I want to be an independent.”

The Dig is a 2021 Netflix period drama starring Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan, based on John Preston’s novel about the true story of the Sutton Hoo excavation

A gripping period drama starring some of Britain’s most celebrated actors is garnering extensive praise for its powerfully moving narrative, breathtaking visual style, and exceptional acting.

Directed by Simon Stone, with the screenplay crafted by Moira Buffini and John Preston, this 2021 film is based on Preston’s own novel bearing the identical title.

Upon its 2007 publication, The Dig received acclaim as “a brilliantly realized account of the most famous archaeological dig in Britain in modern times”. Preston, formerly a television critic, is the nephew of one of the actual participants in the excavation.

The Dig revisits the remarkable events surrounding the Sutton Hoo Excavation of 1939, which took place in Suffolk, England.

Headlined by Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan in the lead parts, the pair are supported by a superb supporting cast including Lily James, Johnny Flynn, Ben Chaplin, Ken Stott, Archie Barnes, and Monica Dolan.

The Dig received a limited cinema release from 14 January 2021, before arriving on Netflix on 29 January that same year. During its debut weekend alone, this ‘engrossing’ period drama soared to become the third-most streamed title on the service, attracting rave reviews from viewers and critics alike.

It also secured five BAFTA nominations, including Outstanding British Film. The film’s official synopsis states: “An excavator and his team discover a wooden ship from the Dark Ages while digging up a burial ground on a woman’s estate.”

The Dig has earned an impressive 88% critics’ approval rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

One reviewer said: “It’s really something when a film is not too concerned with the aesthetic but will find the beauty in discovery of one’s own. The Dig is a good picture, wonderfully acted (Ralph Fiennes is tremendous here), and an engrossing reimagining.”

Another added: “Don’t be fooled by the digging and the dirt, this Netflix feature is one of those rare hidden gems just waiting to be unearthed. Quintessentially English, full of charm and tenacity Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan put in star performances.”

A third wrote: “A rich array of subdued performances and exceptional handheld cinematography grace a delicately woven British period piece. A finely observed film made up of small, touching moments, The Dig is testament to the virtues of understated acting.”

While one critic said: “It’s remarkably moving. By Jupiter, I even cried by the end.”

Audiences were equally enthusiastic about the film, with one overwhelmed viewer writing: ” It is astonishing to me how much I enjoyed this movie. I typically dislike period pieces…especially British period pieces…but here we are. This exudes so much subtle emotion, atmosphere, and significance that I was pretty taken aback by how big this relatively small story feels.

“The juxtaposition between the marvel of their discovery and the horror of the inevitable war is very felt and the absolutely brilliant acting in The Dig breathes real life into every moment. I wouldn’t say this bowled me over with its story as it’s really quite simple, but it’s the pure humanity it was able to quietly pour over me that left me thoroughly impressed. Banger of a movie.”

Another thoroughly impressed viewer wrote: “I found the story moving and consequential. The acting was superb. Mulligen, Fiennes and James were outstanding. If you have visited the British Museum this movie/story will resonate and leave you searching for more details. It was an inspiring story.”

Meanwhile, a further fan said: “This isn’t my type of film usually, but I found it to be enchanting and captivating. Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes are excellent, as is the young lad . A window on a dangerous time but also captures the charm of England back then , when everyone had manners and everything was done with TLC.”

The Dig is currently available to stream on Netflix.