Man appears before court wearing only boxer shorts and handcuffs

Shane Alan Pond (32), of Waveney Court in Ballymena, is accused of assaulting his mother and brother and causing criminal damage to a door and window on June 21 this year.

The defendant appeared via a video link from Antrim Courthouse where a prison officer said Pond had “refused to get dressed this morning and is only in a pair of boxer shorts”. He said Pond was self-represented and they were told by police he was “extremely violent”.

The prison officer asked if the judge was happy for the defendant to “appear in his boxer shorts” via video link.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said he was content for him to appear on the video link “because there is nothing indecent in it, he is clothed where he should be”.

The defendant then entered the video booth wearing only a pair of boxer shorts and handcuffs and was flanked by two prison officers.

Pond said he did not wish to get a solicitor and said the charges were “all fake”. He added: “Never done it”.

In court a police officer said she believed she could connect him to the charges and opposed bail.

The officer said police received a report from a woman that her son was “attempting to break into her house” at Queen Street in Ballymena and while police were en route he did gain entry through the back door.

Police arrived and noticed he was “highly agitated”.

The court heard the defendant and his partner had been staying with his mother who had, the previous day, asked him to leave “due to his behaviour towards his partner”.

Pond had left but on June 21 he came back and kicked a door several times causing damage.

Pond’s mum said after entering her home she feared she was going to be assaulted when he had gone towards her.

The PSNI officer said Pond’s brother intervened and during a “scuffle” both fell into a window causing it to smash with the brother receiving “minor injuries to his face and a staved thumb”. The defendant was then arrested.

The policewoman said the defendant had been “volatile” in custody and had been headbutting walls and had to be taken to hospital.

Pond told the court he had not deliberately smashed the window, claiming his head had been “put through the window” and denied he had gone towards his mother.

He added:”I suffer mental health. This is why I can’t control my emotions. This is why I get so angry in a split second, I am trying to get help for it”.

Judge Broderick said he was concerned about the defendant’s behaviour in custody and his “presentation in court today”.

He refused bail saying his “current mental state” meant there was a risk of further offences.

The case was adjourned to June 24.