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Man to appeal prison sentence for breaching restraining order relating to sister

Defence barrister Barry McKenna stated that it was his client's case that he did not 'seek out' his sister and that the interaction had lasted 'seconds'.

Craigavon Magistrates Court

A man is to appeal a two-and-a-half months prison sentence he received for breaching a restraining order which related to his sister.

The 49-year-old was granted his own bail of £500 in order to carry out his appeal with a condition not to enter the county of Armagh.

Michael Frazer, of Mourne View in Castlewellan, appeared for sentencing on one count of breaching a restraining order at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecution outlined that on March 1, at around 10.50am, police received a report from the injured party that her brother, the defendant, had breached a restraining order.

She stated that she had been at her mother’s home on Churchill Park, Portadown, when the defendant began shouting at family members present.

The injured party claimed that she had been left nervous and in fear as Frazer began directing obscenities towards her.

Defence barrister Barry McKenna stated that it was his client’s case that he did not “seek out” his sister and that the interaction had lasted “seconds”.

He commented that the defendant had one entry on his record, which was changed from a fine to a suspended sentence upon appeal.

District Judge Bernie Kelly commented that “no options” had been left open to her due to a lack of a presentence report, which she put down to his inability to attend with probation.

She sentenced Frazer to two months in prison and invoked his suspended sentence to the amount of two weeks, which she ordered to run consecutively, making a total of two-and-a-half months.

Mr McKenna informed the court of his client’s wish to appeal. The defendant was granted his own bail of £500 in order to do this, with conditions to have no contact with the injured party and not to enter Co Armagh, save for attending court.

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