10-05-2025
Man allegedly threatened to ‘melt' ex and ‘burn everything you own', court told
The court heard David Adair also told his former partner 'tonight you are done, you are done, I'm going to burn everything you own, including you - I'm going to melt you like a candle you dirty b******.'
An alleged domestic abuser told his ex he was going to burn her out and 'melt you like a candle,' a court heard today.
Ballymena Magistrates Court also heard how David Adair also told his former partner 'tonight you are done, you are done, I'm going to burn everything you own, including you - I'm going to melt you like a candle you dirty b******.'
Appearing at court by video link from police custody 41-year-old Adair, from The Crescent in Coleraine, confirmed he understood the nine offences against him, alleged to have been committed on different dates between 16 March and 9 May this year.
The offences, alleged to have been committed against his former girlfriend as well as his estranged wife include making a threat to kill, three breaches of non-molestation orders, two of criminal damage and single counts of theft of a mobile phone, common assault and domestic abuse.
David Adair.
News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025
Giving evidence to the court Const. Duffy said police were opposing bail due to the risk of further offences, concerns that Adair is hard to locate and would not adhere to bail conditions.
The court heard that according to the police case, Adair and his ex-girlfriend had an argument on 16 March whereby he allegedly 'pushed her to the chest with both hands' and although she left straight away, he followed her.
She went to her business premises nearby but Adair is alleged to have followed her in, toppling over a table and damaging several items which had been on it before grabbing her mobile phone and 'smashing it on the ground.'
He allegedly stole the wrecked mobile as he left and the court heard that 'police have been actively looking for him since that date.'
On Thursday Adair's ex was at the rear of her business premises when the defendant allegedly shouted at her 'take this as a threat - I'm going to kill you' and it was Thursday evening when she received the threatening voice messages.
Although she has declined to make a statement the recordings have been obtained by police where Adair allegedly declared: 'Tonight you are done, you are done, I'm going to burn everything you own, including you - I'm going to melt you like a candle you dirty b******.
'You are f***** now; I'm going to end you now you dirty stinking unwashed b******! I'm going to end you tonight.'
Adair left a further message claiming he was going to kill himself and he was arrested at his home on Friday after cops forced entry.
The prosecuting lawyer said that in the mean time there had also been allegations from Adair's ex-wife that he had breached the NMO she has in place.
She told police Adair had sent her text and WhatsApp messages which 'made her feel distressed and annoyed.'
During cross examination the constable agreed with defence solicitor Adrian Harvey that in an earlier case, Adair had been on bail for almost 18 months 'and he did not breach it once.'
The officer said however 'I was going more on the NMOs - if he is going to breach an NMO I do not believe that he will adhere to bail conditions.'
The solicitor also put to him that there was no foundation to his claims that Adair is hard to find given the fact that he was arrested at home and in separate proceedings, 'officers contact me, I contact the defendant and arrangements are made for an interview.'
Although Mr Harvey contended that bail could be granted with conditions such as a curfew, no alcohol and no mobile phone, District Judge Peter King put to the solicitor 'how do I grant somebody bail who has left a message saying 'tonight you are done, I'm going to burn you out, I'm going to melt you like a candle?''
'In the context of those messages how can any court consider that he poses anything other than a threat,' he told the lawyer adding that while he had 'absolutely no doubt' Adair had kept to bail conditions previously, 'how on earth can I grant bail to someone who has threatened to melt his former partner like a candle?'
Refusing bail and remanding Adair into custody until 2 June, Judge King said there was 'no way I can stand over a release to someone who is threatening violence in the most graphic of terms….those threats have made my blood run cold.'
