Man remanded for contacting woman amid rape investigation

Sunday 24 November 2024

A man who told a woman he could die if she did not contact the police to withdraw her allegations against him has been remanded in custody after he admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice

The Magistrate’s Court heard that the man, who is in his 50s, bombarded the woman with messages – despite having been banned from contacting her – and claimed he was seriously ill and that his life would be endangered if her claims led to his prosecution.

The court was told that the man is currently under investigation for several other allegations of rape, domestic abuse and harassment, as well as for failing to disclose the unlock code for his mobile phone to police.

He was arrested on 23 July, interviewed the following day, and then released on police bail on condition that he did not have any further contact with the woman. 

But Advocate Adam Harrison, prosecuting, said that he had not only breached his bail conditions, but had tried to persuade the woman to drop her claims against him – and so had attempted to pervert the course of justice by interfering with a witness. 

The advocate said the man began contacting her on 26 August. 

On 1 September alone, he sent 34 messages and made four phone calls.

He said: “He claimed he was about to die and said: ‘My last wish is that you will be honest with the police.’

“He also said: ‘If this kills me, what will people make of you?’”

In actual fact, Advocate Harrison added, the man was fit and well and was currently working long hours in the hospitality industry.

Advocate James Bell, defending, said the man had admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice; however, he had also kept to the conditions of his bail since 16 September.

He described the offence as “at the bottom end of the scale”.

But Relief Magistrate Michael O’Connell said: “This cannot be characterised at the bottom end of the scale.

“The defendant’s claim to be close to death placed improper pressure on the complainant to withdraw her complaint.”

He said he was remanding the man in custody due to a risk of reoffending, and because an offence of perverting the course of justice is normally met with a jail sentence.

The man will remain in custody until his sentencing in the Magistrate’s Court on 13 December. 

Express has taken the decision not to name the individual at this point, in order to avoid the risk of prejudicing any later trial.