A man has been remanded in custody after being charged with possessing an offensive weapon and assaulting his former partner and her two children at a bonfire in Derry.

James Doherty, 27, of no fixed abode, appeared before Derry Magistrates' Court on Tuesday facing charges of possessing a glass bottle in a public place, assaulting the woman and her two children, and breaching a restraining order on 15 August.

The court heard that the woman had attended the Bogside bonfire in the Lecky Road area with her children. She alleged that Doherty, who had been released from prison three days earlier on 12 August, approached her while waving the bottle aggressively. Two men intervened and asked what he was doing, pointing out the children were present, and the woman and children left the scene. One child was alleged to have been badly traumatised.

A police officer opposed bail and connected Doherty to the charges. The court was told that Doherty had 64 previous convictions and that the children were to be interviewed by police. Officers said they had been unable to locate him initially and when he was arrested, he could not be interviewed due to his behaviour.

Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said his client maintained the entire incident was fabricated and did not happen at all. He said Doherty denied seeing the woman that evening and claimed he was not present. The barrister also stated that Doherty asserted the woman had made allegations against him in the past.

District Judge Ted Magill noted that if Doherty was claiming he was not even there, he could have an alibi of which the woman would be unaware. The judge said Doherty was not a suitable candidate for bail and remanded him in custody to appear again on 17 September.