Woman held knife to daughter’s face

A WOMAN who held a knife to her daughter’s face has been given an 18-month probation order.

Ann Marie McAleer (49) of Brookmount Heights, Omagh, was sentenced at Omagh Magistrates Court last week.

The court heard that, at 1am on April 7, police received a report of an ongoing domestic incident at McAleer’s address. The victim claimed her mother had returned home intoxicated, became irate, and started swearing at her. The argument continued on the upstairs landing, where McAleer grabbed her daughter and shoved her into a hot press closet.

The victim then went downstairs, followed by McAleer, who grabbed a kitchen knife and slammed it on the table.

The daughter returned the knife to the drawer, but McAleer grabbed another knife and held it to her daughter’s face, allegedly laughing as she did so.

Fearing for her safety, the daughter fled to her bedroom and called her brother, who then contacted the police.

McAleer was arrested at 1.55am.

In an interview, she admitted having the knife, but denied holding it to her daughter’s face.

District Judge Ted Magill described the incident as ‘out of character’ for McAleer, referencing the pre-sentence report, and noted that the victim did not suffer any injuries.

McAleer was handed an 18-month probation order.