AN Enniskillen man has been remanded in custody after attacking his parents on New Year’s Eve, during which he choked his mother at knifepoint and threatened to kill her.
When his father intervened he too was assaulted and developed chest pains, but the defendant repeatedly terminated his mother’s attempts to ring for an ambulance.
Blaine Jamie Duffy (30) from Drumbawn Close, is charged with intentionally applying pressure to his mother’s throat affecting her ability to breathe or the flow of blood to her brain, threatening to kill her and possessing a knife as well as assaulting his father and a police officer.
A detective constable told Dungannon Magistrates Court all charges could be connected.
She explained police attended Duffy’s parents’ address at around 10.30am on 31 December following a report from NI Ambulance Service.
Duffy’s mother claimed he arrived at the house apparently intoxicated and smashed a carton of milk on the kitchen floor.
When she said she was contacting police, Duffy grabbed her by the face and shouted, “You’re nothing but a tout, a scumbag and a useless mother.”
He took a knife and held it to her cheek causing it to bleed while squeezing her throat saying, “I’m going to kill you.”
Hearing the commotion Duffy’s father entered and said, “Look at your ma’s face”.
Duffy replied, “Do you want to see blood?” before grabbing his mother again by the face and biting her chin.
The father pulled Duffy away however he fought back, attempting to bite his father’s face, who began experiencing chest pains.
The mother made attempts to phone an ambulance, but Duffy repeatedly terminated these calls, thinking she was ringing police.
He left the property but returned and again threatened to kill his mother.
Duffy was arrested but while in custody refused to take his diabetic medication and was transported to hospital where he was, “Uncooperative and refused treatment. He became increasingly aggressive towards police and verbally abusive to medical staff.”
While handcuffed, Duffy lunged toward an officer and attempted to headbutt him.
He was assessed by a mental health team and admitted for a time before being returned to police custody where he provided ‘no comment’ replies to all questions.
Objecting to bail the detective pointed to a risk of reoffending and witness interference.
She said, “The defendant has 63 criminal convictions showing a propensity for violence. He continues to offend even though he is on bail for other matters and has a blatant disregard for conditions. His parents offered their home as a bail address following a previous incident when he allegedly attacked another person with a knife. Bail conditions have not been effective in managing the risks he poses. He received a suspended sentence for previous offences against his parents and there is a significant domestic history, so there are major concerns following this incident.”
The detective advised while Duffy is diabetic, “He repeatedly blames this for his offending after taking alcohol and drugs. Whilst these may have a negative effect, he does nothing to help himself and continuously takes drink and drugs then fails to medicate his diabetes.”
A defence barrister accepted Duffy could not be released back to his parents’ home but suggested bail could be granted to reside at an address suitable to police.
He said, “His parents have been very supportive of him and the problems he endures with diabetes. It’s a very serious illness. He has no recollection of what happened and is entitled to the presumption of innocence.”
However, Deputy District Judge Sean O’Hare refused bail stating, “I’m not satisfied there are conditions which could address the risks.”
Duffy will appear again by video-link at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on 22 January.
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