Collapsed drunk into bins and head-butted officer

When police were called to deal with a drunken man he began shouting and swearing and head-butted an officer in the chest.

Gary Aidan McConaghy (33), Downshire Avenue, Lurgan, admitted disorderly behaviour and assaulting a constable on February 9 this year.

The case was adjourned from a previous court until last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court to obtain a pre-sentence report.

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The court heard that at 12.40pm at Dingwell Park in Lurgan an ambulance crew were dealing with a person who had collapsed intoxicated into bins.

McConaghy who was heavily intoxicated was being calmed down by a female but he started shouting and swearing.

He was warned by police about his behaviour but clenched his fist and moved towards police. He said ‘Tiocfaidh ar la’ among other things. McConaghy head-butted an officer several times in the chest and in custody he refused to co-operate and had to be handcuffed and taken to a cell.

Defence solicitor Siun Downey said her client worked and there were promotion opportunities for him within the job.

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Ms Downey said he didn’t want to be in court again and he would apologise to the police. She said McConaghy had very little memory of the incident because of his level of intoxication.

For each of the two offences he was sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for 12 months.