A man who subjected his estranged wife and two children to shocking and drunken violent incidents, including one on Christmas Eve, has been jailed.
Judge Fiona Bagnall ordered Christopher Kyle Houston (40) to serve half his 46 month sentence in jail.
Paying tribute to their bravery in writing out victim impact statements, the judge told Houston while his wife’s physical scars and injuries may have healed, the attacks caused “long term psychological damage”.
Highlighting Houston’s “controlling” and violent personality, Judge Bagnall said he had “shown no regard or respect for his wife or indeed his children” who were attacked in the home.
Houston, with an address at Kintyre Park in Ballymena, had earlier entered guilty pleas to nine offences including a domestic abuse offence, two of common assault, two child cruelty, two criminal damage and single counts of actual bodily harm and theft.
During her sentencing remarks, Judge Bagnall told the court that having separated in August, it was on Christmas Eve last year when Houston’s ex-wife pleaded with him not to come to the house.
Houston arrived at around 11pm, heavily intoxicated and began shouting that his ex was “turning the children against him”.
“She begged him to stop but he clenched his fist and threatened her,” said the judge and fearing this mum was about to be assaulted, her son ran from the house to get help.
Houston chased after him and threatened to punch the boy but he eventually left the property, “still shouting aggressively as he left.”
Two months later, Houston’s ex and son came home to find him in their daughter’s bedroom “shouting and roaring” at the teenager, throwing her phone against a wall.
“They saw him punching and kicking her” as she lay on the bed but her mum shoved him off and ran downstairs but Houston followed her.
In the kitchen an intoxicated Houston began to throw kitchen items at his ex-wife including an air fryer, cups and pots and a microwave.
One of those items caught the woman on their head, leaving a large gash and a broken finger.
Judge Bagnall revealed that Houston had previous convictions for violence including a serious assault of GBH in 2004.
In assessing the sentence, the judge said she would be increasing it upwards given the “domestic abuse aggravator” and the fact that Houston was highly culpable for his behaviour which had caused significant psychological harm.
“It is clear that these children are deeply traumatised by the actions of this defendant and sadly, it appears that he will not entirely accept his culpability and blame,” said Judge Bagnall.