A Derry man appeared at a special sitting of the local Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with putting a 12in-blade kitchen knife to his wife’s throat during an alleged incident in their home in the Waterside area of the city at the weekend.
Louis Raphael McLoughlin (54), a restaurateur, from Limavady Road, appeared before district judge Mervyn Bates.
He is charged with assaulting his wife Caroline, possessing a knife with intent to commit an offence, possessing a ladle with intent to commit an indictable offence, threatening to kill his wife and falsely imprisoning her. He is alleged to have committed the offences at their family home in the early hours of Saturday last.
Opposing bail, a police officer told the court that the complainant had alleged there had been “a history of domestic abuse in the past which she has not reported”.
He said the police were alerted to the alleged incident by the complainant’s sister.
The judge remanded Mr McLoughlin in custody for a June 21st hearing.