Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Member of Parliament Jim Shannon has been charged with common assault.
The alleged incident occurred on October 1, 2023. Shannon, 71, did not attend Newtownards Magistrates' Court on Monday.
His defense counsel, Conan Rea, informed the court that a defense statement had been filed. The Public Prosecution Service intends to apply for amendments to previously filed paperwork, a move the defense plans to object to. Rea stated that the defense has submitted a skeleton argument outlining their objections.
Deputy district judge Trevor Browne adjourned the case to September 1, pending the prosecution's response to the defense's submissions.
Shannon was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998 and subsequently served in that role until 2010, when he became the Member of Parliament for Strangford, a position he currently holds.