Son was laughing as he repeatedly kicked his mother, court told
A MAN allegedly laughed as he repeatedly kicked his mum in the back and stomach, a court heard yesterday.
Craigavon Magistrates Court, sitting in Lisburn, also heard claims that Nathan Amor (21) held a piece of broken glass to his mother’s neck, causing a cut, before shoving her to the ground where he allegedly kicked her repeatedly “while laughing”.
Amor, from Portadown but with an address at a Salvation Army Hostel in Belfast city centre, appeared at court via videolink from police custody to be charged with two offences — causing his mum actual bodily harm and criminal damage to a TV, a TV bracket and a curtain pole on Tuesday.
While a police officer said he believed he could connect Amor to the charges, a prosecuting lawyer said there were objections to bail as the latest incident was the “latest in a litany” of domestic assaults allegedly committed against his mother.
She described how Amor had been invited to his mother’s house for dinner but he had “lost his temper” and ripped curtain poles and a TV bracket from the wall.
Amor allegedly picked up a piece of broken glass which he “held at his mother’s neck” causing a small cut, said the lawyer who claimed that he “pushed her to the ground and repeatedly kicked her to the back and stomach while laughing”.
Arrested and questioned, Amor “gave no comment” police interviews and the lawyer said there were objections to bail due to his record being “quite frankly, appalling” so there would be “substantial grounds for believing that if you grant bail he will re-offend”.
Defence solicitor Conor Downey told the court there “is a long history” between mother and son with each making allegations against the other, allegations which are often withdrawn.
He submitted that police concerns could be assuaged by Amor being bailed to the Belfast hostel and barred from contacting his mum or going to the Portadown area.
While District Judge Rosie Watters freed Amor on his own bail of £500 and imposed those suggested conditions, she warned him “you are lucky to get bail at all”.
Adjourning the case to September 18, the judge warned him to stay away from his mother and Portadown.