Man ‘dragged mum from car and hijacked vehicle’ days after he was released from prison, a court heard
A man allegedly dragged his mother out of her car and hijacked the vehicle two days after he was released from prison, a court heard yesterday.
Lisburn Magistrate’s Court also heard allegations that when the woman tried to get her keys out of the ignition, Barry Higginson “bit her on the forearm” before driving off.
Appearing in the dock of the court Higginson, previously from Derrybeg Terrace in Newry, was charged with 10 offences, all alleged to have been committed on October 2 this year.
The 23-year-old has been charged with hijacking, aggravated vehicle theft causing damage, causing actual bodily harm, dangerous driving, driving without a licence or insurance, driving while unfit through drink or drugs, failing to stop for police, possessing a Class C drug and theft of “multiple items” worth £5.74 from Halfords.
Detective constable Cafolla told the court she believed she could connect Higginson to each of the charges and that police were objecting to bail.
Revealing that Higginson was only freed from prison on Tuesday, 48 hours before the incident, she gave evidence that around 10.30am on Thursday, Higginson demanded his mother’s car keys.
She refused and after telling her son, “sure you have no licence,” the woman got into the car herself but Higginson “dragged his mother from the car by her legs and pulled her across the street.”
He jumped into the driver’s seat but when his mother came back and tried to get the keys from the ignition, “he bit her on the forearm,” DC Cafolla told the court.
Higginson sped off from the house at The Demesne, the court heard, and that when he met police around the Doran Hill area, “he did a turn and drove off, nearly hitting another car.”
Staff at Damolly Retail Park alerted police that the hijacked vehicle “had appeared with severe damage to the front of it” and after Higginson allegedly stole several items from Halford’s, he was arrested.
During police interviews, Higginson admitted he was “self-medicating” with the Class C drug but that he had no prescription for it.
To other questions and queries, however, “he gave no comment.”
“We are concerned about further offending,” DC Cafolla told the court.
The officer contended that by committing these offences, Higginson put his own mother “and members of the public at serious risk of harm.”
District Judge Rosie Watters warned defence solicitor Chris Logue his bail application “will be an uphill struggle” but as the lawyer highlighted, Higginson had not had the opportunity to see his GP or even to see his young son.
He argued that with an address 40 minutes away from his mother’s home, that Higginson could be subject to a curfew, tagged and made to report to police every day.
“No, it’s far more important to fill yourself full of drugs and get off your face when you get out rather than see your son,” Judge Watters commented, emphasising to Higginson that “your priorities are all wrong.”
Refusing bail and remanding Higginson into custody, Judge Watters adjourned the case to October 29 in Newry.