A Belfast man who knocked his grandmother to the ground by smashing a teacup over her head has been jailed for nine months.
Marcus Speer, 20, left the woman bleeding and feeling concussed after being asked to leave the her home due to his behaviour.
He was also handed a 12-month restraining order for what the judge described as a “despicable” attack.
Speer, of Upper Charleville Street, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage to the victim’s door and disorderly behaviour after police were called to the scene on September 10 last year.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard his grandmother reported that he launched the attack as she attempted to direct him out of her house on the same street.
“The injured party reported that he picked up a cup of tea from the kitchen table and struck her to the top of the head with it, causing the cup to smash in the process,” a Crown lawyer said.
“She fell to the ground and believed she was concussed, stating her vision was affected, she felt dizzy and was in a lot of pain.”
The victim lay down in bed following the assault, but when she woke again her head was still sore and there was blood on her pillow.
Speer returned to his grandmother’s home later that evening and began kicking at the kitchen door in an attempt to get inside, shouting that he wanted his key, the court heard.
She threw a key out the window to him but was forced to contact police after he continued striking the door.
According to the prosecution, Speer refused to open a communal door for officers at his nearby apartment block, declaring that he would not be letting them inside.
“Police used force to gain entry and located the defendant hiding in the bathroom of his flat,” the lawyer added.
“When he was being escorted out to the police vehicle he was shouting and swearing in the street.”
Defence counsel Michael Boyd told the court Speer is ashamed and sorry for an attack linked to wider addiction issues.
“Striking your grandmother over the head like this, a lady he loves dearly, is testimony to the deregulated, violent behaviour that drugs can lead to,” he said.
Mr Boyd confirmed that his client has remained estranged from the victim since the assault.
Based on Speer’s admissions, Deputy District Judge John Connolly sentenced him to nine months in custody and restrained him from going near the victim for the next year.
“It’s a despicable case,” he stated.
“Thankfully his grandmother hasn’t had to go through the ordeal of coming to court (for a trial).”