Two men appeared before Derry Magistrates' Court this week on separate charges of assaulting women, and both were refused bail by District Judge Suzanne Rice.

Eamon Lynch, 52, of John Street, is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and disorderly behaviour at Altnagelvin Hospital on September 29. A police officer told the court that officers responded to a disturbance at a flats complex and found a woman on the ground with injuries to her head and face. Lynch was standing nearby with his coat and t-shirt removed.

The court heard that CCTV footage showed Lynch and the woman arguing before he threw her to the ground. Over the following nineteen minutes he repeatedly kicked and punched her in the face, then got on top of her and pulled out her hair. The officer said Lynch had removed his coat and t-shirt and assaulted her again. Both had been drinking.

Police objected to bail, citing a risk of reoffending, interfering with a witness, and multiple past breaches of court orders. Lynch was previously assessed as presenting a high risk to women, particularly vulnerable women.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley accepted the CCTV footage would lead to a conviction for domestic assault, and acknowledged his client's record. He said two bail addresses were available, one in Derry and one in Omagh, both a considerable distance from the complainant.

Judge Rice described Lynch's record of 480 previous convictions as atrocious. She told him he engages in violent and abusive behaviour towards former and current partners, and refused bail, saying the CCTV evidence showed an atrocious and sustained assault. Lynch was remanded in custody to appear again on October 22.

In a separate hearing, Karl Lyton, 37, of Lawrence Hill, was charged with assaulting his partner on September 28 after a member of the public called police. He is accused of grabbing her face. The court heard the woman later told police he had a split personality. Lyton denied the assault and answered no comment to other questions.

The court heard Lyton had been released on bail on September 24 following a breach of a restraining order against a former partner. One condition was that he reside at his current partner's address, but that address was withdrawn after the alleged assault.

Police opposed bail, citing risk of reoffending and interference with witnesses. His solicitor noted his client denies all charges and is entitled to the presumption of innocence, and that a proposed new bail address was about five miles from the injured party.

Judge Rice noted a significant number of domestic offences on Lyton's record against current and former partners. She refused bail, and he is due to appear again on October 22.