Courts across Northern Ireland handled several criminal cases this week despite a reduced schedule over the Easter holidays.

Jamie Donald, 28, of no fixed abode, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on April 6 charged with rape. Police alleged he took a 15-year-old girl to a boiler room in an underground car park at Victoria Square in Belfast city centre on a Saturday night and carried out a sexual assault. A witness reported seeing the girl dragged through the Cornmarket area in a distressed state around 9.30pm. Donald was refused bail and remanded in custody.

Craig Martin, 27, from Scrabo Glen in Newtownards, Co Down, faced Belfast Magistrates’ Court on April 7 on charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of Class C drugs. The charges relate to an incident at a house in Dundonald, east Belfast, in the early hours of March 21, where he allegedly punched a man to the ground and jumped on his head three times during an argument, leaving the victim with broken eye sockets and a brain bleed. Martin was remanded in custody.

Verelinov Veselin, 20, from Eastvale in Dungannon, appeared at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court on April 9 charged with three counts of strangulation, four counts of assault, criminal damage and abusive behaviour. The allegations span November 1 to April 6 and involve his pregnant partner, including threats to put abortion pills in her food and escalating violence after she refused an abortion. He was remanded.

Jacob Bradshaw, 28, an amateur boxer from Stroma Drive in Ballymena, Co Antrim, attended Ballymena Magistrates’ Court charged with multiple rapes, sexual assaults by penetration, non-fatal strangulation and actual bodily harm against two women. One set of offences allegedly occurred last January and the other last summer. Police opposed bail due to breaches of conditions. Bradshaw was remanded.

Neil Henry, 32, of no fixed abode, received a three-month jail sentence at Belfast Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to disorderly behaviour and assault on police. On April 4, during a street brawl on Royal Avenue near CastleCourt shopping centre in Belfast city centre, he directed racist, sectarian and sexually offensive remarks at officers.