Suspended sentence for man who spat at police

A 32-YEAR-OLD man who repeatedly spat at police after he was arrested for being disorderly in Strabane town centre has received a suspended jail sentence.

Jonathan Porter, of Ballindrait, county Donegal, pleaded guilty to using disorderly behaviour within the vicinity of Abercorn Square, assaulting a police officer and obstructing police on December 31, 2021.

Further charges of the attempted criminal damage of a police vehicle and resisting arrest were withdrawn.

Strabane Magistrates Court heard that, at 12.50am, police on mobile patrol in Abercorn Square observed two males, one of whom was the defendant, standing in the middle of the road and blocking traffic.

Porter, who was unsteady on his feet, came over to the police vehicle and punched one of the windows with his fist. He then shouted at the officers inside to “come on”.

After making threats of violence to a sergeant who exited the vehicle, the defendant was placed in handcuffs. He continued to shout and swear at the police.

Limb restraints had to be deployed after Porter “kicked off”, the court heard. He began spitting at the officers and was soon placed in a spit hood until he calmed down.

It was subsequently removed before being re-applied when the defendant started to spit again.

After he was taken into custody, Porter refused to provide the police with his personal details. He continued to display “violent and aggressive” behaviour at the station, the court heard.

Defending solicitor, John Fahy, told the court that his client, who lives in the Republic of Ireland, did not have a previous record.

But district judge, John Connolly, observed that the defendant had been spitting at police in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and his offending crossed the custody threshold.

The judge imposed a 12-week jail term, which he then suspended for a year.

Mr Connolly warned the defendant that he would go to prison for at least six weeks if he got into trouble again over the next year.