Bit officer after he was arrested

After he was arrested for a drink driving offence a 30-year-old man struggled with police and it took four policemen to carry him into the station.

Johnny Lee Gibson, Brownlow Terrace, Lurgan, at a previous court, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol on October 27 last year and two assaults on police and resisting an officer on October 28.

The case was adjourned until last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court so that a pre-sentence report could be prepared.

For the excess alcohol offence he was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for two years. He was banned from driving for three years.

He was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for two years, for the assaults and three months, suspended for two years, for resisting police.

Gibson was also ordered to pay £300 compensation to each of the two police officers he assaulted.

The court heard that on October 27 last year at 11.50pm police were notified of a possible drunk driver in William Street, Lurgan.

They saw a car with no lights on turn into Brownlow Terrace and they spoke to the driver who was the defendant. He failed a preliminary breath test and at 12.03am he was arrested.

When he got to Lurgan custody suite he refused to get out of the rear of the police car and was forcibly taken out.

He kicked out with his legs and limb restraints had to be applied. He kicked a constable on the leg and another officer said he had tried to head-butt him in the rear of the vehicle.

Gibson continued with verbal abuse when he was carried in by four officers and the handcuffs remained on while an evidential test gave a reading of 76.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said the assaults involved biting one officer and attempting to head-butt another officer.

A barrister representing the defendant said the pre-sentence report showed Gibson expressed remorse.