A Derry man who ‘lashed out’ at police after being discovered outside a local university campus with his top off has been given a suspended sentence.
Mark Keeney, 32, of William Street, admitted charges of disorderly behaviour, assault on police, and criminal damage on September 6.
The court heard that police were tasked to Ulster University’s Magee Campus on the Northland Road where security were dealing with an ‘aggressive male’ who had his ‘top off’.
A Public Prosecution Service (PPS) representative said the defendant was swearing at police officers and ‘could not explain why he was there’.
Keeney refused to provide his address, ‘offered to fight the police’ and told them ‘go f**k yourself’.
When asked to moderate his behaviour things escalated, he ‘lashed out and punched the window of a police vehicle’ and ‘kicked an officer in the groin area’, the Public Prosecutor explained.
After being placed in the rear of the police vehicle the 32-year-old ‘spat on a seat’ and ‘continued to struggle’.
The PPS representative told the court that police estimate deep cleaning the vehicle and fixing the cracked window will cost about £1,100.
Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said the incident was ‘clearly out of character’ for Keeney who has one previous caution for disorderly behaviour. He explained that his client had been taking prescription medication along with alcohol which led to his ‘outrageous’ behaviour and ‘he has absolutely no knowledge of what happened’.
Mr MacDermott told the court that the 32-year-old, who ‘has his own difficulties’, wished to apologise, and was willing to ‘make some payment’ but could not afford to pay £1,100. It was submitted that he may have some difficulty completing community service due to a back injury.
District Judge Barney McElholm said: “He didn’t seem to have too much trouble with his back when he kicked an officer in the groin behaving like this.”
Keeney was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 180 hours of community service and must pay £500 in compensation to the PSNI.
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