Intoxicated teenager restrained with cable

Nineteen-year-old Curtis Ewing from Ashgrove Park, Magherafelt, admitted charges of common assault and damaging a mobile phone on February 6.

Prosecuting counsel said at 3.30pm police received a report of the defendant behaving aggressively and assaulting his mother.

She said on arrival at Kilrea Road, Upperlands, they found him heavily intoxicated in the verge tied with cable to restrain him.

The lawyer said police spoke to the injured party who told them she had been transporting him in the car and they had stopped the vehicle a number of times and he got out and fallen to the ground.

She said he had thrown two punches at her but both had missed. The injured party said that the screen of her mobile phone had also been damaged in the incident.

Counsel said a member of the public had seen the incident and restrained Ewing with cable wire but did not wish to make a statement to police.

Defence solicitor Stephen Atherton said the defendant had spent six weeks in Hydebank and has had an opportunity to reflect on his behaviour and this has been quite a sobering experience for him.

Mr Atherton said the defendant has just turned 19 and has suffered very badly over the past year.

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