A 41-year-old man from Ballymena has been jailed for seven months after being convicted of assault.

Lee Daniel Redmond of Granville Drive appeared before Ballymena Magistrates' Court for sentencing on 29 June 2023 charges.

The court heard that police responded to a domestic incident at an address in Portglenone around 9pm.

A prosecutor told the court that during an argument Redmond punched the woman in the face twice before striking her on the head with an ornament in a hallway.

The woman sought hospital treatment and was diagnosed with a moderate brain injury.

Redmond pleaded guilty to possessing diazepam and had denied striking the woman with the ornament, claiming self-defence.

District Judge Nigel Broderick described the incident as a serious case of domestic violence and imposed a seven-month custodial sentence along with a three-year restraining order.