Northern Ireland

Belfast man who breached restraining order handed ‘justified’ jail term

Martin Dundon was told that if he continued breaching court orders, he should expect “increasing prison sentences”

Laganside Court in Belfast
Laganside Court in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)

A Belfast man who had a sentence for breaching a restraining order deferred earlier this year and who re-offended three months later, was handed a “justified” 15-month sentence on Thursday.

As he imposed the term, Judge Gordon KC warned Martin Dundon that if he continued breaching court orders, he should expect “increasing prison sentences.”

The 50-year old, from Donegall Avenue, breached a restraining order on July 16, 2023 by contacting his ex-wife.

He appeared at Belfast Crown Court on February 20, 2024 when Judge Kerr deferred sentence for six months.

On May 21, 2024 - three months into the deferred period - he breached the order again by attending his ex-wife’s home when he was banned from doing so.

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He was back in court on Thursday where he was handed a sentence totalling 15 months for the breaches.

Before he imposed the sentence, Judge Kerr was addressed by Dundon’s barrister who said that whilst he accepted the breaches, there had been “occasions when he is invited up to the home and he shouldn’t be going up to the home.”

Adding that alcohol was a “significant factor”, the barrister spoke of the “ripple effect” that the court orders have had on other members of Dundon’s family.

The defence barrister also revealed that his client has spent over five months in custody for the breaches.

Judge Kerr said there was “absolutely no doubt” that the custody threshold has been passed.

He added: “There does reach a certain stage where someone just has to realise that you cannot keep on breaking court orders and that if you do, the only result that will come from that is that there will be ever increasing prison sentences.

“You can’t break the court order when you are in custody. It’s as simple as that.”

Judge Kerr imposed a six-month sentence for the breach in July 2023 and a concurrent nine month sentence for the breach in May 2024 which occurred during the deferral period.

The Judge concluded by saying the 15-month term was “justified” and told prison staff “he can be put back to serve the rest of his sentence.”