Family to help son's drink addiction

Stephen Vincent Anthony McPolin, Edenderry Park, Banbridge, was fined £100 last Thursday at the local court for common assault on November 1 last year. He was also ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy.

The court heard that the defendant hit his father and kicked him on the legs.

A barrister representing McPolin said his client had alcohol problems and had completed a 12 week course at Sister Consilio’s. He added that the defendant deeply regretted what had happened.

The lawyer said that McPolin’s record stemmed from alcohol and if he could stay off it hopefully he would stay out of trouble. District Judge, Mr Eamonn King, told the defendant that if he was going to beat drink and drugs he not only had to do it himself but also needed the family network.

He also took into account that the defendant’s parents were in court to support him and told McPolin: “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”