‘Extremely violent’ Dublin man remanded by NI judge

A man described as “extremely violent and unpredictable” who charged with choking his partner was refused bail after a court heard allegations he has “strong ties” with Dublin criminals.

Appearing at Lisburn Magistrates Court via videolink from Maghaberry prison, Stephen Skeen (36) was charged with inflicting actual bodily harm on his partner, threatening to kill her, attempting to choke her with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possessing a class C prescription drug on October 23rd.

Mr Skeen, from Cherry Orchard Crescent in Dublin, is also charged with driving on the A1 dual carriageway at Dromore without insurance and while disqualified on the same date.

Objecting to his release on bail, a police constable claimed Skeen was “an extremely violent, unpredictable defendant” who has “strong ties with criminal elements” in the Republic, adding that police feared if he was released, he would abscond or interfere with the investigation.

The officer confirmed to District Judge Rosemary Watters the charges relate to an allegation of domestic violence and that Mr Skeen was once convicted and jailed for manslaughter at the Old Bailey in 2001. Mr Skeen fatally stabbed a man he caught in bed with his then lover earlier that year.

Defence lawyer Peter Coiley said while there was no proposed address for Mr Skeen to live at in Northern Ireland, he had proved during a temporary compassionate release that he would abide by bail conditions.

He said the police officers claims of links to criminal elements in Dublin was the first time those had been raised but submitted there was “no evidence” to support them.

Judge Watters said she was concerned about Mr Skeen not turning up for court, commenting that it could “take years to extradite him” so she was refusing bail for that reason and because of the risk of interfering with the alleged victim.

Remanding Mr Skeen back into custody, the judge relisted the case on March 2nd for a progress report.