A Lurgan man who breached a non-molestation order whilst on his way to buy alcohol has been ordered to pay a fine of £500.
The 32-year-old’s barrister told court his client had been on the injured party’s street as it provided the quickest route, adding that there had been “no contact, no words exchanged and no violence”.
Steven Hanna, of Balmoral Drive, pleaded guilty to breaching a non-molestation order at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
Prosecution outlined that on August 27, at 8.30pm, the injured party reported that her ex-partner, the defendant, had been in her street in breach of a non-molestation order.
She gave police a description of what Hanna had been wearing at the time and stated that he appeared to be in an intoxicated state.
Upon his arrest, a preliminary breath test was conducted on the defendant and he blew a reading of 90mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
The injured party claimed that Hanna had stared at her whilst on her street and that he had also been seen in the area by her former partner.
Defence barrister David McKeown stated that his client had been drinking and had gone to get more alcohol, the quickest route being along the injured party’s street.
Submitting that this was at the “lower end” of any breach, the barrister highlighted there had been “no contact, no words exchanged and no violence”.
District Judge Bernie Kelly stated: “I am putting this at the lower end, even though the breach of a court order is a serious matter.”
Hanna was ordered to pay a fine of £500, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 16 weeks.
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