Man attacked ex with a hammer and vase in front of their five-year-old son, court told

A BELFAST man assaulted his ex-partner with a hammer after making racial slurs about her partner, a court heard yesterday.

Police said Colin Griffiths trailed the woman by the hair and struck her face with a vase during an attack on Wednesday in front of their five-year-old son. Refusing bail to the 36-year-old, a judge said the alleged domestic violence was “as bad as it gets”.

Griffiths, from Ashfield Gardens, is charged with aggravated burglary with intent to commit GBH, attempted GBH with intent, threats to kill and common assault on the boy.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard the woman was taken by ambulance to the Royal Victoria Hospital to be treated for a suspected concussion.

In a statement to police, she claimed Griffiths stormed into her house on Mervue Street while she was watching TV.

“He was shouting and making racial slurs about her Tunisian partner, who she is planning to marry,” a PSNI constable said.

Griffiths then trailed the woman off the sofa and punched her, according to police.

It was claimed that the boy tried to stop him, shouting “Don’t hit my mummy”, but was pushed back onto the sofa before the attack continued.

District Judge Mark Hamill was told Hamill grabbed a vase and struck the woman’s face, cutting it in the process.

She then picked up the ornament and smashed it over his head in retaliation.

Griffiths responded by unzipping his jacket, police claimed, with the woman fearing he was going to produce a knife.

Instead, he allegedly brought out a hammer wrapped in seethrough plastic and hit her with it on the back of the head.

He was still swinging it when a friend arrived and intervened, the officer added.

Griffiths required five stitches to his head after the incident.

During interviews, he insisted he had been assaulted.

Defence barrister Danielle McMahon said: “He (said) he was attacked with the hammer.”

Griffiths will appear in court again by video-link on June 12.