Democratic Unionist Party MP Jim Shannon has been charged with the common assault of a woman, relating to an incident alleged to have occurred on 1 October 2023.
Shannon did not appear at Newtownards Magistrates' Court on Monday for the hearing, and the case was adjourned until 1 September. His solicitors have stated the case is being factually contested.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson described the matter as a private dispute within a family and said the party became aware of the issue over two years ago. Shannon was first elected as MP for Strangford in 2010.