A man who pushed his 15-year-old stepdaughter after an argument over his lack of English has been sentenced to 12 months on probation.
Court heard the 35-year-old, who is originally from Lithuania, had no record and accepted that he had overreacted.
Arumas Rimkus, of Baltylum Meadows, Portadown pleaded guilty to common assault at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Court heard that on November 8, at around 8pm, police received a report from a third party about a domestic disturbance at an address in Portadown.
This related to the screams of a child.
Officers arrived to find the injured party highly distressed but with no injuries noted.
The defendant was cautioned and replied: “We were just exchanging words.”
Rimkus was arrested and taken to Lurgan Custody Suite.
During interview, he stated that he had an argument with the injured party, his stepdaughter, over his lack of English.
He followed her to her room and pushed her onto the bed at which point she started screaming.
The defendant said that he had asked her to stop but she did not.
Defence counsel claimed: “He has no record, he pushed his 15-year-old stepdaughter as an impulse action in anger after she taunted him about his lack of English.
“He accepted that on this occasion he has overreacted.”
District Judge Stephen Keown said: “I am minded to look at probation to make sure this does not happen again.”
Rimkus was sentenced to 12 months of probation and told to engage in any programme they deem necessary.
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