A man who drunkenly threatened to throw his wife off a balcony has been jailed.

Colin Michael McHugh, of Lheanagh Park, Anagh Coar, admitted provoking behaviour and resisting arrest.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes jailed McHugh, aged 58, for six weeks and banned him from purchasing or being sold alcohol for six months.

Prosecutor Rebecca Cubbon told the court that on March 4 at 9.30pm, McHugh was at home with his wife when they got into an argument over some belongings.

McHugh went into another room away from his wife and when she followed him he swore at her saying: ’Get out, this is my room, mind your own business. I’m sick of you buying food and spending money.’

His wife said he had been drinking vodka and was a different person after drinking. McHugh shouted: ’I’ll get you while you’re sleeping, I’ll throw you off the balcony.’

The woman said she was afraid to go to bed as he had dragged her outside on another occasion so she called ’999’.

Officers said McHughwas drunk and aggressive. It took three minutes to get handcuffs on him as he pulled away. The court heard McHugh has a previous conviction in 2015 for an assault involving his wife and a more recent binding order.

Advocate Andrew Baker said the couple had been married for nine years and were both alcohol dependent. It is quite often ’tit-for-tat’.

’What he says he learned from probation last time is to have a go to safe room.

’He recognises it is his responsibility to stop this getting worse. Custody for the last 15 days has been severe.’

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told McHugh: ’I suspect alcohol is the root cause of your offending. You need to sort it out.’ With the time spent on remand McHugh will now only serve about one week.