Co Armagh man kicked PSNI officer in the chin while in hospital, Craigavon court hears

Jordan Russell, aged 27, whose address was listed as Queen Street, Portadown, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday charged with assaulting police.

-

-

Russell’s barrister Mr Damien Halleron, instructed by Madden and Finucane, said his client pleaded guilty to the single charge.

The court heard that on May 22 this year at around 4pm police attended an address in Lurgan following a report of concern for the safety of a man.

The defendant was found at the rear of the property attempting to harm himself and he was detained by police under the Mental Health Order and brought to Craigavon Area Hospital.

“Whilst waiting in the triage room of the hospital the defendant demanded to go for a smoke,” the Prosecutor told the court. “When police asked him to wait until he was seen by medical staff he became verbally aggressive.

"He stood up and attempted to move towards the door at which point police restrained him by the wrist. The defendant then dropped to the ground, refused to get up and continually was verbally aggressive despite being warned he was in a public place.

"As police attempted to lift him he wrapped his legs around one officer’s leg and then kicked out connecting with the same officer’s right chin. The defendant was arrested for assault on police and later discharged by medical staff,” said the Prosecutor.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan said he had looked at Russell’s record which had previous assaults on police convictions.

Russell’s barrister Mr Damien Halleron said currently his client appears to be “co-operating really well” with Probation and “see a marked improvement in him”. He said Russell had been taking drugs and is now “completely drug-free”.

District Judge Ranaghan said he takes assaulting on police "very seriously” and this is “repeat offending”. “What I am going to do is give Mr Russell a chance to show me he can avoid any further interference,” he said, adding that he is going to defer sentencing with the condition that he doesn’t reoffend within the next four months.

The case was adjourned until January 15, 2025.