// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
DUP MP Jim Shannon charged with common assault of a woman
Jim Shannon is the Democratic Unionist Party MP for Strangford
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Jim Shannon has been charged with common assault of a woman.
In a statement, his solicitor said that the case was being "factually contested".
Shannon, 71, with an address at DUP offices on Frances Street in Newtownards, did not attend Newtownards Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Defence counsel Conan Rea told the court that Shannon had lodged a defence statement.
The court heard that the Public Prosecution Service will be applying to amend dates on paperwork which they had lodged.
Rea said that the defence will be objecting to that.
He told deputy district judge Trevor Browne that the defence have lodged a skeleton argument detailing their objections.
With prosecuting counsel set to reply to the submissions, the judge adjourned the case to 1 September.
The DUP politician was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998, before being re-elected in 2003 and 2007.