Swore at police officers

He was 34-year-old John Patrick McComb, Church Walk, Lurgan, and last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court he admitted disorderly behaviour on January 28 this year.

The case had been adjourned from a previous court so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained.

The court heard that at 3.20pm in William Street, Lurgan, police were dealing with an incident when McComb started shouting and swearing at them.

There were members of the public and schoolchildren in the area. McComb was warned about his behaviour but he still swore and challenged police to fight.

The defendant ran from the area but was later spoken to in Edward Street where he was cautioned and he swore again in his reply.

A solicitor for McComb said that in the probation report the defendant placed some responsibility on the police for the way they behaved but on reflection he accepted responsibility for his actions.

He added that the other person who was involved in the initial incident had received a suspended sentence.

The solicitor urged the court to adopt a suggestion in the report to defer sentence in McComb’s case.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, deferred sentence for four months saying he was giving McComb a chance to show he could stay out of trouble and if he did so there would not be an immediate custodial sentence.