CHARGED | 

Woman who waged campaign of harassment against ex and his new partner back in court

Yvonne Derby tried to damage a Mercedes belonging to her ex’s new love

Yesterday at 15:00

A woman who waged a campaign of harassment against her former boyfriend and his new partner has been charged with attempted criminal damage.

Newry Magistrates Court was told that Yvonne Derby tried to damage a Mercedes belonging to her ex’s new love on Main Street in Forkhill on December 30 last year.

After a defence solicitor said the 40-year-old was denying the offence, District Judge Eamon King adjourned the hearing to fix a date for a contest.

The accused, from Ardshean in the village, is currently subject to a suspended jail sentence and a community service order imposed in April over a campaign of harassment.

When she was being given her 120-hour community service order and four-month suspended prison sentence, the judge told her the behaviour would have to stop or she would be jailed.

Derby was charged with a litany offences committed between June 27 and August 23 last year, including two counts of harassment, four counts each of driving while banned and without insurance and single counts of assault and dangerous driving.

A prosecuting lawyer told the court the new partner of Derby’s ex was walking her dog on June 27 when Derby grabbed and dragged her to the ground, shouting that “it was because she stole her man.”

The lawyer said the accused was warned any further contact would be harassment.

Despite that, she sent social media messages to the woman next day.

The lawyer said Derby also “pulled up beside the injured party and her partner in the car” as they drove along the New Road in Silverbridge.

“They told her to leave them alone, but she began to shout abuse at them,” she told the court.

The couple drove off, but Derby followed close behind with her headlights on before she “overtook at speed, pulled in front of the car suddenly and then slammed on the brakes, causing the injured party to take evasive action.”

Having reported the incident to police, it transpired that Derby was not entitled to drive, having failed to reapply for her licence following an earlier ban.

On August 15, Derby’s ex was driving his lorry along the New Road, with his children in the cab beside him, when she “steered into his line of travel, causing him to take evasive action to swerve out of the way.”

The following day, his partner “got 24 phones calls from Derby”, some made from a landline and others from a withheld number.

She recognised the voice and Derby screamed abuse at her.

Before she was arrested, Derby “contacted the injured party’s mother”.

She put forward a number of innocent explanations to police, but the judge said those claims “have to be treated with a degree of scepticism.”

The case was adjourned to July 24.