Woman jailed over assault on pregnant woman

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.

Megan Callaghan, 36, of Clon Dara in Londonderry, was sentenced on Friday for a offences spanning from 2023 to 2024.

These included assault, theft, driving offences, and multiple incidents of resisting and assaulting police officers.

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.

The court heard that the baby was born seven weeks prematurely following the attack.

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”.

Callaghan also admitted a series of theft offences committed throughout 2023 and 2024.

She was also convicted of resisting arrest and assaulting police officers several times.

In May 2024, she became aggressive after restraints were removed in a police cell, grabbing and spitting at an officer after requesting water.

Defence counsel Sinead Rogan told the court that Callaghan had “got herself clean” while in custody and continued to seek support.

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.”

In addition to the prison term, Callaghan was handed a two-year restraining order and was disqualified from driving for two years.