A man has appeared in court accused of stalking, assaulting and strangling his now ex-partner.
Darren Merritt, 49, faces six charges which allege that he committed a number of offences against the woman over several months.
Three charges allege that Merritt assaulted the woman, causing her actual bodily harm — once between March 1 and May 31 last year in Cumbria; a second time in Scotland between June 1 and September 30; and a third time, allegedly, on January 4 this year in Grasmere.
During one incident, the woman is alleged to have suffered a black eye, and during another, allegedly, bruising to her ear and a bloody nose.
On January 4, also in Grasmere, Merritt is alleged to have intentionally strangled the woman and also caused £100-worth of damage to her mobile phone.
A sixth charge alleges stalking. Court papers show that between November 27 last year and January 4, at Grasmere, Merritt is alleged to have caused the woman to fear on at least two occasions that she’d be assaulted after he approached her home address and her place of employment while being aggressive and intimidating.
Merritt appeared at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court this morning. During a half-hour hearing, not guilty pleas were entered to the six allegations by Merritt, who was represented by solicitor Duncan Campbell.
An outline of the allegations was provided by prosecutor Peter Kelly, and the district judge, Arlegh Davies, declined jurisdiction of the case.
As a result, Merritt, previously of Burnmoor Avenue, Whitehaven, and latterly of Inverness, is next due to appear in front of a judge at Carlisle Crown Court on February 12.
In the meantime, Merritt was remanded in custody after an application for bail was refused by the district judge.
