Co Down man, who was 'shouting and swearing' and refused to leave Rushmere Shopping Centre in Craigavon, given suspended jail term
A Co Down man, who ‘shouted and swore’ and refused to leave Rushmere Shopping Centre in Craigavon, has been given a suspended jail sentence.
James Connors, aged 24, from Ganna Way, Warrenpoint, Co Down, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday via video link from Maghaberry Prison.
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He faced a number of charges including disorderly behaviour, common assault and threats to damage property. However a Prosecutor said the common assault and threats to damage property were withdrawn.
Connors’ barrister Mr Conor Coulter said his client pleaded guilty to the disorderly behaviour charge.
The court heard that on May 27 this year at around 4.50pm police received a report that a man was refusing to leave Rushmere Shopping Centre after security had spotted him having an argument with a woman.
Connors kept running past the security guard to re-enter the complex. The guards had to "physically prevent” Connors from getting in.
"He was shouting and swearing at the public and was warned about his behaviour. He failed to do so and was subsequently charged,” said a Prosecutor.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said he remembered Connors from another case in May but said he wouldn’t take that into account. He told the court that Connors was given a prison sentence for "his misbehaviour in court”.
Mr Coulter said his disorderly behaviour was “very much of the nuisance type” and “at the lower end of the scale”.
Regarding the disposal two weeks previously of a six-months sentence, the barrister said: “Originally no issue was taken with that but an appeal has been lodged seeking a reduction in the sentence to one month and that would precipitate his immediate release if Your Worship was minded not to impose an immediate custodial sentence.”
Mr Coulter said his client is “very keen” to be released and begin a phased and supervised contact with his child. He urged the District Judge to consider something ‘hanging over his head’.
The District Judge said he had dealt with his misbehaviour in court with a custodial sentence but that doesn’t impact on this sentence.
"The custody threshold is just about passed,” he said, sentencing Connors to three months in prison suspended for one year.