Bully-boy barber jailed for series of domestic assaults back in court

Sunday World

15 hours ago

Appearing by video link from HMP Magilligan, 39-year-old Gary Herron had to ask 'what's this in relation to?'
A bully-boy barber, recently jailed for a series of domestic assaults, was back in court over unpaid fines.
Appearing at Ballymena Magistrates Court by video link from HMP Magilligan, 39-year-old Gary Herron had to ask 'what's this in relation to,' confirming that he is a sentenced prisoner with a release date in July next year.
District Judge Nigel Broderick explained that Herron had two summons before the court, both for unpaid fines relating to driving offences.
He told Herron that arising from offences of speeding, careless driving and failing to produce his driving licence in relation to offences in October 2023 and May 2024, he had £330 fines outstanding.
'I thought my solicitor had dealt with these matters,' Herron protested so Judge Broderick said he would adjourn the case to allow the defendant time to speak to his solicitor.
'100%,' Herron declared as he was taken back to his cell.
Last May at Antrim Crown Court, Judge Fiona Bagnall activated a previously suspended two-year jail sentence and ordered it to be served consecutively to the sentence the 39-year-old was already serving.
Having heard that permatanned and heavily tattooed Herron started a ten month sentence for domestic assaults on a different victim, the judge said she 'can find nothing of mitigation in his behaviour or anything that would cause me to reduce it.'
'When I look at the facts of this case, I do not think that the totality principle is offended by adding to that sentence,' Judge Bagnall ruled.
Gary Herron
It was in February last year, at the same court, that Herron narrowly escaped going to prison for the first time after his two year jail sentence was suspended for two years,
At that time, the court heard that Herron was undergoing a probation order which included a programme designed to reduce domestic violence.
Judge Philip Babington described Herron's behaviour as 'quite appalling' in that he had subjected his ex to a series of 'toxic' messages which 'show you as a pathetic bully of women and that is worrying for society.'
The judge heard that toxic messaging and months of demeaning domestic abuse, culminated in a physical assault.
On the day he was due to go on trial, Herron entered 11th hour dock confessions to causing actual bodily harm, possessing a hammer as a weapon and supplying class A ecstasy on 23 June 2023 as well as a further charge of domestic abuse by engaging in an abusive course of behaviour on dates between 1 March 2022 and 16 February 2023.
At that time, prosecuting counsel Suzanne Gallagher said that Herron and his victim had been at a concert at the Belsonic music festival when he supplied her with a single ecstasy tablet but there had also been a verbal argument which continued when they got back to the defendant's home.
After knocking her to the floor, Herron 'kicked her to the side of the head causing her to have a golf ball sized swelling,' said the barrister, adding that the victim was able to call a friend 'to come and get her.'
Herron snatched the phone from her and wouldn't give it back and the court heard that when the Good Samaritan arrived to help the victim, the barber turned bully came out 'brandishing and swinging a hammer in a threatening manner,' but never actually used the weapon.
The domestic abuse offence related to 'hundreds of pages of text messages…and there would be fairly nasty messaging back and forth,' including videos Herron had taken and kept of him verbally abusing and demeaning the victim.
Herron was sentenced for those offences in February 2024 and was fortunate to walk free from court after the two year sentence was suspended, but Ms Gallagher emphasised that within weeks, Herron was subjecting another partner to further incidents of domestic abuse and assault.
It was on 1 May 2024 when Herron walked into the home of his latest victim, went into her bedroom and grabbing her face with both hands, 'forcibly pushed her face into the wall' and punched her on the arms.
His victim was forced to testify and reliving her ordeals, she told the court how Herron:
Covered her face with his hand as he smashed her head off a wall;
Punched her, leaving her with bruising that was so bad it lasted for two months;
Threw her over the bed and sent her pictures of nooses hanging up;
Threatened to visit family members unless the woman met up with him;
Left her voicemails with other men saying they were on their way down to make a 'little girl' out of her;
Threatened the woman with pictures he had of her.
Initially Herron was convicted and handed an eight month prison sentence for those offences but he appealed it.
Ironically though, the court ruled that eight months was not long enough so the sentence was increased to ten months.
Jailing Herron in May and ordering the two year sentence to be added on to the ten months, Judge Bagnall was as scathing as she was sceptical and told the court Herron was 'fortunate' to have received a suspended sentence in the first place.
'Why should I give him any benefit,' the judge asked rhetorically, 'he got a suspended sentence and then he reoffends, with precisely the same offence, very shortly after the sentence had been put in place - you cannot get any worse than that.'
'And then he is sentenced in the Magistrates Court and yes he was entitled to appeal but he did not recognise his wrong doing and his reaction was well, I will appeal that too.
'There are two victims in separate incidents and he has had the benefit of a suspended sentence,' Judge Bagnall said as she activated the two year sentence in its entirety and ordered it to be served consecutively.