Was going to mum’s ‘too often to be fed’

A 43-year-old man who assaulted his sister was put on probation on Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

Desmond Joseph Martin Hughes, Dill Avenue, Lurgan, admitted common assault on a female on February 5 this year.

The case had previously been adjourned to obtain a pre-sentence report.

The court heard that police were called to an incident at Dill Avenue where the defendant claimed his sister had threatened to kill him.

Hughes made admissions to police that he had assaulted his sister.

Mr Pat Vernon, representing the defendant, there had been an argument in the house of the defendant’s mother.

He explained that the sister was saying Hughes was coming to his mother’s house too often to be fed. He lived next door to his mother.

Mr Vernon added that his client accepted he had pushed her and there was no injury to the sister. She didn’t make a complaint but Hughes told police he had struck her.

He asked the court to give the defendant credit for his honesty, claiming that the sister had grabbed a knife and chased him to his own house.

“It was a family matter which got out of hand,” added Mr Vernon.

District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, said this was a sufficiently serious matter to warrant a community based disposal.

She imposed a probation order for 12 months.