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A woman has been jailed six months for a series of offences, including what a judge described as an “utterly appalling” attack on a pregnant woman.<\/p>\n
Megan Callaghan, 36, of Clon Dara in Londonderry, was sentenced on Friday for a offences spanning from 2023 to 2024. <\/p>\n
These included assault, theft, driving offences, and multiple incidents of resisting and assaulting police officers.<\/p>\n
Londonderry Magistrates’ Court was told that Callaghan had approached a pregnant woman in the street in October 2023, punched her in the face and kicked her in the stomach.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The court heard that the baby was born seven weeks prematurely following the attack.<\/p>\n
District Judge Ted Magill said it could not be definitive that the assault caused the early birth, but the possibility “could not be ruled out”.<\/p>\n
Callaghan also admitted a series of theft offences committed throughout 2023 and 2024. <\/p>\n
She was also convicted of resisting arrest and assaulting police officers several times.<\/p>\n
In May 2024, she became aggressive after restraints were removed in a police cell, grabbing and spitting at an officer after requesting water.<\/p>\n
Defence counsel Sinead Rogan told the court that Callaghan had “got herself clean” while in custody and continued to seek support.<\/p>\n
However, the judge said he could not ignore the gravity of the offences, stating: “This is a difficult sentencing exercise, but I cannot overlook these offences just because someone has got clean.”<\/p>\n
In addition to the prison term, Callaghan was handed a two-year restraining order and was disqualified from driving for two years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n