Assaulted police after they saved his life

He was Aaron Hughes, Westacres, Craigavon, and he appeared last week at the local magistrates’ court by way of videolink from Maghaberry prison.

He admitted disorderly behaviour at Craigavon Area Hospital and assaults on police officers on February 24 this year.

Hughes also pleaded guilty to the theft of a charity box from the Danske Bank in Lurgan on December 14 last year.

For the theft of the charity box he was sentenced to three months in prison.

He was given three months for disorderly behaviour on February 24, four months for assault on the police, five months for another assault on an officer and four months for assault.

These sentences are to run concurrently to each other but consecutively to the other offences making a total of nine months in custody.

The court heard that on February 24 this year at about 12.40am Hughes was in breach of a bail condition and was located in Millennium Way in Lurgan.

He had attempted to hang himself with a shoelace on railings and was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital.

In triage he was aggressive and belligerent and was pacing back and forward saying he was going to harm himself.

He was warned about his behaviour but punched a wall and struck out at a constable. He also kicked out at an officer and when he was arrested he replied: “I don’t care’.”

Hughes’s mood continued to fluctuate and he made threats to stab a constable while members of the public were in the corridor.

A public prosecutor said that on December 14 last year at around 3.05pm there was a theft of a charity box which contained £20 to £30.

Hughes was identified on CCTV taking the box and emptying it outside the bank on the ground.

A barrister representing the defendant said that the theft of a charity box was a mean offence and Hughes was ashamed of what he had done.

Referring to the other offences he said that the police had cut the defendant down and had saved his life.