Derry man jailed for domestic abuse and causing criminal damage to his mother's home

A man has been jailed at Derry Magistrate's Court today for what is solicitor described as 'a terrible thing'.

Gerard Given (34) of Circular Road in Derry was charged with three charges aggravated by domestic abuse. 

He was charged with criminal damage to household items in his mother's house, disorderly behaviour and assault on October 19 and the offences were admitted. 

The court was told that police received a 999 call from a woman who said her mother had phoned her in hysterics after Given had come to his mother's house intoxicated.

She said he had been damaging items in the house and when police arrived they were shown damage to the property carried out by Given.

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When the defendant was arrested he started shouting sectarian abuse and spat at a neighbour who had come to the scene. 

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said that his client accepted he had behaved in a terrible fashion. 

He said he normally got on with his neighbour. 

District Judge Conor Heaney said that the defendant had a poor record with over 70 previous convictions and a suspended sentence. 

He jailed Given for six months.