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The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Jim Shannon has been charged with common assault of a woman.<\/b><\/p>\n
It is alleged to have happened on 1 October 2023.<\/p>\n
In a statement, his solicitors said that the case was being “factually contested”.<\/p>\n
Shannon, 71, with an address at DUP offices on Frances Street in Newtownards, did not attend Newtownards Magistrates’ Court on Monday.<\/p>\n
Defence counsel Conan Rea told the court that Shannon had lodged a defence statement. <\/p>\n
The court heard that the Public Prosecution Service will be applying to amend dates on paperwork which they had lodged.<\/p>\n
Rea said that the defence will be objecting to that.<\/p>\n
He told deputy district judge Trevor Browne that the defence have lodged a skeleton argument detailing their objections.<\/p>\n
With prosecuting counsel set to reply to the submissions, the judge adjourned the case to 1 September.<\/p>\n
The DUP politician was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998, before being re-elected in 2003 and 2007.<\/p>\n
In 2010, he entered the House of Commons as an MP for Strangford, a position which he still holds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n