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A DUNGANNON woman who assaulted her teenage niece after she failed to attend school has been handed a community service order.
The woman appeared before Dungannon Magistrates Court today. The court heard that on May 8 at approximately 2pm, police received a report of a domestic incident from the injured party, stating that her aunt had slapped her and pulled her hair.
The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, was arrested and conveyed to Lurgan custody where she told police that she had slapped the injured party on the shoulder following an argument.
A defence solicitor told the court that the defendant had plead guilty at the earliest opportunity and said that ahead of the incident she was ‘cross’ that the injured party had not attended school.
They further stated that the defendant had ‘exercised her right’ to discipline the teenager but described the incident as ‘unlawful’, however, it was emphasised that they had no intent of causing harm to the injured party.
It was also heard that both parties are no longer sharing the same address and that no major injury was caused as a result of the assault.
District Judge Rafferty ordered the defendant to carry out 40 hours of community service.
