A 15-year-old boy was handed a two-year probation order after he pleaded guilty to slightly injuring his mother after he threw a glass bottle at her. The incident happened in November 2023. The day after, the mother reported him to the Domestic Violence Unit where she informed police she lived with her two sons. The woman and her youngest son argued before the woman went to work on November 1, 2023, with the boy allegedly threatening her to create a 鈥渕ess鈥 round the house. She warned him that it was wrong to do so and left for work. When she returned home later that day, she found a mess, with things on the kitchen floor and in her bedroom. The woman quietly began cleaning up. While she was doing so, the child came out of his bedroom and tried to provoke her. She ignored him. At one point, he grabbed her empty mug and allegedly told her: 鈥測ou want to enjoy this, but you won鈥檛鈥 and threw it in her direction. The boy started pacing from the bedroom to the kitchen and every time he would try to engage with his mother. When he found her not looking at him, the boy grabbed a glass bottle and threw it at her, hitting her in her lower back. The woman told the police that she ended up on the floor in pain and could not move. Once the boy returned to his bedroom, the woman grabbed some essential belongings and went to the nearest health centre. From there, she was referred to Mater Dei Hospital. The woman left hospital some hours later before she was seen by the doctors because she had to go to work. The police were provided with the photos of the house and the injuries. When she undertook the risk assessment, the woman scored 10 meaning medium risk, with the assessors identifying fear, the use of objects to cause injuries, escalation in the nature and frequency of the abuse, and the mental health issues of the alleged perpetrator as risk factors. The police interrogated the boy who said that some days earlier he had celebrated his birthday with his mum and her friend. He told the investigators he did not like the way in which his mother鈥檚 friend touched his mother or kissed her. On the day of the altercation, he asked his mother whether she had something with the other man, to which she replied that for now there was nothing between them. He denied threatening his mother with causing a mess at home and said that he had been looking for a present he had received and which he gave her for safekeeping. According to the boy鈥檚 version of events to the police, he was angry with her when she returned home because she wanted to bring her friend over. His mother told him not to interfere. He told the police that he broke his mother鈥檚 mug and she broke his glass. He also explained that he smashed a glass bottle against the wall and threw another one in his mother鈥檚 direction, hitting her. In its considerations, the court considered that the boy pleaded guilty at a relatively early stage and had a clean criminal record. It also took into account that he was a minor when he committed the offences and benefits from a decrease in punishment. The report prepared by the probation officer was also considered. From the report, it emerged that his parents had separated and the boy was receiving treatment. It also transpired that the boy cooperated with his probation officer and planned to continue with his education. It was against this background that the court concluded it should strike a balance between the severity of the charges brought against the minor and the social aspect in domestic violence cases. The court held that the boy needs to learn from this episode and was given another chance to continue with his treatment. By his own admission, he was found guilty and handed a two-year probation order. A two-year treatment order was also imposed. The court bound him with a 鈧500 guarantee for one year that he would keep the public peace. Magistrate Abigail Critien presided over the juvenile court.