Omagh man in court after ‘locking police officer in cell’

AN Omagh man has appeared in court after allegedly dragging a PSNI sergeant into a custody cell and carrying out a serious assault, before locking him in and then escaping from custody.

Ruairi McGuigan (41), from Coolnagard Hollow, Omagh, is initially charged with assaulting a female, then assaulting two police officers as he was arrested.

Then, once in custody, he allegedly assaulted a Civilian Detention Officer and caused actual bodily harm to a police sergeant whom he also falsely imprisoned, before escaping from custody.

A police officer told Enniskillen Magistrates Court all charges could be connected.

He explained, at 4.30am yesterday (Sunday), police attended an address in Killeter where McGuigan was allegedly fighting.

On arrival the female occupant said a van had arrived at the property earlier and two men attempted to coax McGuigan outside, who shouted he would kill them.

They left but another male arrived who became involved in an argument with McGuigan.

When the occupant tried to break this up, McGuigan allegedly said, “Lifted his fist to the female, putting her in fear of immediate violence and threatened to ‘bash her head in’.”

McGuigan was arrested but was immediately, “Awkward and uncooperative. He became limp and had to be carried to the PSNI vehicle, kicking out at an officer.”

He remained “irate and aggressive” and, due to his behaviour, was placed directly into a cell.

It was hoped he would calm down however he began yelling out, demanding to be released.

A struggle ensued in which he grabbed the custody sergeant and refused to let him go before punching him several times to the head.

A female Civilian Detention Officer tried to reason with McGuigan, but he, “Punched her straight to the head with some force.”

He managed to get the sergeant into a corner, punching him up to ten times and kneed twice to the head.

McGuigan walked out of the cell, closed the door and locked the sergeant in.

This left McGuigan alone with the civilian officer who was in extreme fear and opened the door hoping more officers would arrive.

The defendant pushed past the civilian officer and escaped into the main station precinct, where three police officers responding to the emergency call for assistance, were confronted by him wearing only underwear.

He was restrained and returned to the cell.

Opposing bail, the officer said, “After an arrest for assault the defendant continued offending. He didn’t want to go into the police station and he used several methods including injury to himself, force and violence to get out. He locked a sergeant in a cell after a sustained assault. He punched the cell door about 50 times.”

The officer continued, “It’s a terrible situation and could have reached something not bearing to be thought about. There was every possibility anything could have happened. Last week the Chief Constable criticised the large number of assaults on police, which is around 20 per week. Its not manageable. While it hasn’t previously been mentioned staff can struggle psychologically with effects of assault and we strongly believe this matter will be one such example.”

Under cross-examination, the officer said McGuigan had since, “Mellowed, but I can’t say if he has been cooperative”.

A defence barrister accepted the bail application was difficult as, “Clearly this was an unsavoury incident in which no-one stood to gain anything. Things have now settled down. Something triggered the defendant to behave as he did and he could be managed in the community.”

Refusing bail, District Judge Alana McSorley remarked, “The allegations are a display of extreme violence.”

McGuigan will appear again by videolink at Strabane Magistrates Court on April 4.