A FATHER has appeared in court for making homophobic slurs while assaulting his own son.

Jeremy Smith attacked his son after an argument about the family business spilled out on to the street.

The 44-year-old, of King Charles Avenue, Powick, near Worcester, who pleaded guilty to assault by beating when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court, pushed his son out of his house, slapped him and called him a “gay boy”.

Matt Dodson, prosecuting, told the court that the son went round to Smith’s house following an disagreement over the phone. He was initially let in, but then thrown out.

“While outside, Mr Smith grabbed the injured party around the neck and started saying, ‘Come on, gay boy. I’ll show you how to be a man’,” said Mr Dodson.

The victim, who is homosexual, suffered bruising to his arms and redness to his face.

When interviewed by police Smith, who received scratches to his arms during the fight, described himself as “half asleep” at the time of the incident, having been woken up by his son’s arrival.

“He said that he had pushed his son out of the property,” said Mr Dodson. “He confirmed that his son was gay and that he had no problem with that. He denied using homophobic comments.” Paul Stanley, defending, said: “It’s now accepted that he made some rather stupid comments about his son’s sexuality.

“There are no offences of violence on his record. Even the injured party says, ‘Dad had never said anything like that before’. There is an issue with alcohol and issues with the family business and that brought this to a head.”

Magistrates, who were warned by the court’s legal adviser that any homophobic comments made before, during or after an attack should be treated as an aggravating feature, agreed to adjourn the case for reports.

Smith must return to court on Wednesday, December 16 for sentencing.