Man allegedly struck partner with laughing gas cylinder and ripped off her toenails, court told

Prosecutors claimed the abusive control was so severe that she left Northern Ireland in fear of him and is now “a shell of a woman”

A man allegedly struck his partner in the face with a laughing gas cylinder and ripped off her toenails as part of a campaign of extreme domestic violence, the High Court heard today.

Suleyman Erdogan, 24, is also accused of threatening her with a kettle of boiling water amid repeated outbursts which inflicted permanent injuries.

Prosecutors claimed the abusive control was so severe that she left Northern Ireland in fear of him and is now “a shell of a woman”.

Details emerged as Erdogan, of Mourne View Terrace in Bessbrook, Co Armagh, was refused bail.

He denies charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, domestic abuse, multiple counts of common assault, possessing Class B and C drugs, and criminal damage.

Police were alerted after the woman went to a station in a distraught state last month, claiming he had subjected her to a series of attacks since they moved in together two years ago.

Crown counsel Sarah Minford said the allegations against Erdogan include:

• Throwing a nitrous oxide cylinder at the woman’s face, leaving her with a swollen jaw, blurred vision and requiring four stitches to her eyebrow and cheek.
• Pulling out hair extensions and causing her to lose a promotion at work because of absence.
• Dragging the woman about during a separate attack where her elbow was split open and had to be glued back together in hospital.
• Wielding a baseball bat to smash her work laptop, a mirror and walls in the house.
• Pushing the woman against a wardrobe and cutting her leg open and leaving a scar.
• Throwing a bottle in the woman’s face and splitting her eyebrow in an alcohol-fuelled outburst.
• Isolating her from family and friends and demanding that she switches on mobile ohone location services to track her movements.

The court heard Erdogan also scraped the side of the complainant’s face with his nails and accused her of being unfaithful.

“He stood on her toe until her nail ripped off, and she said he had done it before.” Ms Minford disclosed.

“The injured party no longer has a nail on either of her big toes.”

During another alleged assault, Erdogan chased the woman about the living room with a kettle full of boiling water, threatening to throw it over her.

On Valentine’s Day this year violence flared again while the couple were staying at a hotel on the outskirts of Belfast, according to the woman’s account.

Counsel said: “He was drinking and inhaling gas, and he slapped the injured party on a number of occasions.

In the most recent incident she woke up in the early hours of March 17 after Erdogan allegedly kicked her in the back of the head and tried to pull her out of bed by the hair.

The woman stated that she contemplated jumping out of an upstairs window to escape, but instead quietly left by the front door and drove to a police station.

“She says she has endured extreme physical and mental abuse and controlling behaviour, suffering several injuries, some of them with permanent effects,” Ms Minford submitted.

“She could not maintain any kind of social life, go to gym or socialise with friends, he told her what she has to wear and eat, and that she has lost between two and three stone (in weight) owing to the stress.”

During the relationship the complainant feared making any noises or dropping anything in the house, it was claimed, and endured being called vulgar names and told she must have slept with someone to progress at work.

The court heard she missed her grandmother’s funeral and a number of family funerals, with Erdogan said to have checked her bins and smelt her clothes while making accusations of infidelity.

“The injured party by her own admission is a shell of a woman, she was in constant fear of upsetting Mr Erdogan,” counsel added.

“She has left Northern Ireland and relocated her family for fear of reprisals.”

Police arrested the defendant at his home, locating four four containers of nitrous oxide along with 26 empty containers in the living room beside him.

Bail was opposed on grounds of protecting a vulnerable alleged victim and amid claims that Erdogan could flee.

The judge, His Honour Neil Rafferty KC, was told he is currently wanted in the Republic of Ireland on three separate bench warrants.

Defence counsel confirmed Erdogan intends to contest the charges.

She argued that he has lived in Northern Ireland for over two years without committing any previous offences..

“By his own admission he has issues with substance misuse and alcohol consumption,” the barrister acknowledged.

But refusing bail amid concerns the defendant could re-offend or attempt to track down the alleged victim of his coercive control, Judge Rafferty ruled: “It is a hopeless application.”

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