‘Love-hate relationship’ outlined to Kildare Court

Details of a ‘love-hate relationship’ between a man and his stepfather were heard at Naas District Court on Thursday, May 19.

The court heard on a previous date that a man threatened to ‘crack his stepson’s head open’.

The man reappeared in court to contest the allegations made against him.

His stepson told the court that his stepfather had custody of his three half-siblings, but on the day the threats against him were made, his stepfather became aware of the fact that his half-siblings were not in school, and an argument broke out.

When the stepson stepped in to defend his mother, his stepfather then made the threat against him.

She corroborated his claims, and added that the incident deeply upset her son.

When he was asked by Judge Desmond Zaidan why his stepfather would say such things, he told the judge: "I don’t know… we have had a mixed relationship over the years.

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"Sometimes he would treat me really well, but other times he wouldn’t, especially if he and my mam had a fight, he would usually be like a ghost to me for a few weeks (at a time).

"I feel like he would also use me to get back on good terms with my mam, to be honest."

When asked how the threat made him feel, he said: "After seeing what he’s done to my mam, I know what he’s capable of, it was not an empty threat."

The stepfather then told the court that he denied ever making the threat, and instead said the following to him in a state of anger: "You will get back in that car if you know what’s good for you."

He added that he regretted making the comment.

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After consideration, Judge Zaidan pointed to the stepson’s statement to gardaí about the incident.

He added that, at that moment in time, the step-father had put his step-son in fear that he would cause him harm, even if he did not truly mean to do so.

The judge ultimately decided to convict the man and ordered a peace bond for him for 12 months.