Mother’s homophobic rant at son and partner

Celia Duncan, 42, who runs two hairdressing salons, hurled insults at Stuart O’Neill, 16, after seeing him walk hand-in-hand with his boyfriend.

When he ran from her, she gave chase and later sent him anti-homosexual messages.

Mrs Duncan admitted at Aberdeen Sheriff Court hurling homophobic insults at her son and breaching communication laws by sending the texts.

Her solicitor Paul Barnett said she wasn’t homophobic, but was frustrated because her son had shrouded his new relationship in secrecy.

She was worried after he moved out and she hadn’t heard from him, so she tried to talk to him when she saw him on the street.

But her frustration boiled over into anger when he ran away. Mrs Duncan was also charged with attacking her son along with his twin brother Tom. But their not guilty pleas were accepted.

Stuart, from Aberdeen, said: “I never thought my mum would be homophobic. Given her job, I’d imagine she comes into contact with a lot of gays.

“What she’s done is vile. She’s betrayed me. I feel really hurt.”

Stuart said he told his mother he was homosexual more than two years ago. He claimed that she didn’t have a problem with it until he wanted to start relationships.

He said his mother wanted to know where he was at all times, and sometimes refused to let him go out.

When he began seeing Ronnie McPhail, 22, she reacted furiously and threw him out of the family home in Bridge of Don, Aberdeen.

Stuart said: “She told me I’d have to stop being gay or leave Aberdeen. It was ridiculous.

I ended up homeless and had to move in with my boyfriend.

“My mum couldn’t cope with the thought of me having boy-friends. I don’t know why.”

Stuart cut off contact with his mother but, when she spotted him and Ronnie walking hand- in-hand in Aberdeen, she jumped out of her car. Shop assistant Stuart said: “I was walking home from work when I heard the brakes of a car slam on. It was my mum. I didn’t want to talk to her so she chased me.

“It was unbelievable.”

Stuart said his mother called him a number of offensive names and told him she was going to get someone to “kick his head in”.

When she began sending text messages, he decided to go to the police.

Sentence was deferred on Mrs Duncan for four months for her to be of good behaviour.

Stuart is not planning a festive family reunion.

He said: “I’m finished with my family. I don’t want anything to do with them.

“I feel pretty down about it, but I won’t be talking to my mum again.

“I’ve got nothing more to say to her.”