Man jailed for throttling passer-by for intervening as his partner suffered a seizure

A man who throttled a passer-by for intervening as his partner suffered a seizure in Belfast city centre has been jailed for five months.

Paul Farren, 34, launched an attack on Castle Street which resulted in the other man briefly blacking out, it was claimed.

Farren, of John Street in Derry, pleaded guilty to common assault and non-fatal strangulation. Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard he lashed out while giving medical assistance to a woman he knows on February 23 this year. The victim was hit, grabbed by the throat and briefly lost consciousness.

Defence barrister Michael Boyd described Farren as a street drinker who had made a “rare foray” into Belfast.

“The lady having a seizure on the ground is his partner and he was trying to help her,” counsel said.

“This other individual got involved and a fight broke out between them where the defendant claims he was called all sorts of names.”

Mr Boyd added: “(The defendant) struck out at him and grabbed him by the throat.”

Under current magistrates laws, the maximum penalty in non-fatal strangulation cases is two years imprisonment.

But noting that it was not a domestic situation, District Judge George Conner ordered Farren to serve five months in custody.

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