Wanita McCrea from Cookstown reported her ex-partner Keith Henry, 52, for domestic abuse and coercive control after a two-year relationship. In July 2024, Henry attempted to strangle her during an incident she survived.

McCrea presented police with phone recordings of the abuse, including the strangulation. Police encouraged her to press charges after reviewing the evidence. Her mother convinced her to report the matter to the PSNI.

Henry faced conviction last spring on charges of assault and non-fatal strangulation. He received a 12-month prison sentence, to be served partly in custody and partly on licence. Henry appealed the sentence and received bail but accepted the original term in early March.

During the court process, McCrea lived in fear while Henry moved freely under bail conditions. Bail in Northern Ireland can include electronic tagging, curfews, geographical limits and substance restrictions, with breaches leading to arrest.

McCrea described ongoing trauma from the relationship, where she felt isolated from family and friends.