Limerick mum locked herself in bedroom due to son’s ‘aggressive’ behaviour

THE MOTHER of a man who locked herself in a bedroom because of his aggressive behaviour says she’s “hoping for a miracle that he has learned his lesson”.

The woman, who can't be named in order to protect her identity, made her comments at a sitting of Kilmallock District Court after her son admitted breaching the terms of a Safety Order, twice on the same day.

During the in-camera hearing, Inspector Gearoid Thompson said gardai attended the family home shortly before 1am after they were alerted to a disturbance.

“He (the son) had returned home and he started throwing bread at her (his mother). He was shouting and roaring,” he told Judge Patricia Harney, adding that the man's mother and his sister then locked themselves in a bedroom.

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He said the man, aged in his 30s, was arrested and taken to a garda station.

He was subsequently released but was “aggressive post-release” requiring gardai to attend the house again at around 10pm.

“He was violent and aggressive, he was shouting and roaring,” said Insp Thompson who told the court the defendant admitted he had consumed whiskey, lager and cocaine in the hours between his release and his second arrest.

Solicitor Ted McCarthy told the court his client was remanded in custody following a court appearance in August as gardai had concerns about him living at the family home and that an alternative address could not be agreed.

“He accepts he was very much out of order,” he said, adding that his client was in “constant contact” with his mother while in custody.

The solicitor said his client is due to begin a detox programme in the coming weeks and he asked that he be granted bail to allow him to attend.

In her evidence, the man's mother said she is “very happy for him to come home” adding that she is “hoping for a miracle that he has learned his lesson.”

Noting her evidence and Mr McCarthy's submission, Judge Harney said she was willing to grant bail.

However, in doing so, she warned the defendant that the Safety Order remains in place and that “gardai will come” if there are any difficulties before he enters the detox programme.

She also advised him that he “needs to be sober” in order to enter the programme.

Judge Harney, who imposed strict reporting restrictions, added that the final decision regarding any sentence is hers and that, if appropriate, a prison sentence can be imposed.