A man and his mother were ordered to seek counselling when they appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court recently.

Kihan Barnes, of a Corporate Area address, is accused of punching his mother in the face because she refused to give him some sugar. He pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm.

Barnes told the court that he did not punch his mother in her face. He said he asked her for some sugar and she refused and started cursing and he walked away. He said she followed him and grabbed him by the front of his shirt and he pushed her hands away. He claimed that it was while pushing her hand away, his hands caught her in the face.

The complainant said Barnes was lying. She said he punched her because she argued with him for attempting to take some of her sugar. Both will return to court on March 22.