Portadown man, caught standing on wheelie bins trying to break into his own house, bit a PSNI officer and spat at another, Craigavon court hears
A 33-year-old man, caught breaking into his own house, bit a police officer and spat at another, a court has heard.
Conor James McConville, from Portmore Street, Portadown, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court via video link from Maghaberry Prison pleading guilty to criminal damage, two counts of assaulting police and disorderly behaviour.
-
-
The court heard that police were tasked to McConville’s home at 11pm on October 11, 2025, after reports of ‘bottles being smashed’. When police arrived the defendant was standing on top of two wheelie bins and underneath a smashed window.
Police helped McConville down off the bins and he admitted he broke the window to get into the property as he lost his keys.
They noticed a strong smell of alcohol from the defendant who was slurring his speech and unsteady on his feet. Checks showed he was banned from consuming liquor.
When police arrested McConville he ‘began running away’ but they were able to bring him to the ground in a ‘controlled manner’, the court heard.
In the process he bit one of the constables on his arm and punched him in the eye. A prosecutor said the bite didn’t break skin. He spat at another constable and it landed on her thigh.
“The defendant continued to shout and swear in a public place and he was then arrested for disorderly behaviour,” said the prosecutor.
McConville’s barrister, Mr David McKeown, said his client has had “significant addiction issues” for a considerable time.
"He thought he was doing well, he locked himself out of his house and then he thought he was being persecuted by police for breaking into his own house. That obviously wasn’t happening and they were doing their job and he now accepts that in the cold light of day,” said Mr McKeown.
The barrister explained that McConville is in custody on remand awaiting trial on two matters in the Crown Court.
He asked the court to take a “pragmatic approach” and leave something hanging over his head.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “Mr McConville’s record is horrible. His attitude to police is abhorrent.
He sentenced McConville to nine months in jail for criminal damage. For each of the assaults on police he received a six-month sentence and four months for disorderly behaviour. All were suspended for 18 months.