Suspended jail sentence for Co Tyrone man who threatened to kill police officers with knife

District Judge Francis Rafferty was told that on April 22, at approximately 9.10am, police received a report of a man threatening to kill himself and being in possession of a knife in a field at Crossglebe, Cookstown.

Twenty-five-year-old Darryl Orr, of Crossglebe, admitted charges of making threats to kill police, criminal damage to a cell van, possessing an offensive weapon, a knife, and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

Prosecuting counsel said the defendant was located sitting in the corner of a graveyard and when police approached he threatened to kill them and himself.

She said he had a knife in one hand and bottle of alcohol in the other and officers kept their distance and attempted to calm him down.

The lawyer said was highly intoxicated and unsteady on his feet when detained at Rockdale Road. He was placed in the rear of a cell van where he spat saliva on the inside of the vehicle and was arrested for criminal damage.

She added that police would be seeking compensation of £84.51 in respect of the damage to the cell van.

A defence lawyer pointed out the defendant has mental health difficulties and had recently been dealt with at Ballymena Magistrates Court, where he received 200 hours of Community Service.

Judge Rafferty said he would impose a three-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, in respect of all the charges.

He also ordered Orr to pay £84.51 compensation, and made an order for the destruction of the knife.