Court hears person was headbutted by Larne man in a Ballymena coffee shop

A man who headbutted a person in a Costa Coffee outlet in Ballymena has been jailed for three months.

Connor Bleakley (27), with an address listed as Hillmount Gardens in Larne, also pushed another person during the incident on October 19 last year.

The defendant admitted two charges of assault; disorderly behaviour at Costa Coffee on Larne Road Link and receiving stolen alcohol.

A prosecutor told Ballymena Magistrates Court police received a report of two males drinking from vodka bottles, which still had security tags attached, at Costa Coffee. They were believed to have been stolen from a nearby shop.

The case was heard at Ballymena Magistrates Court. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.placeholder image
The case was heard at Ballymena Magistrates Court. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.

Bleakley pushed a "member of the public" and headbutted a "second member of the public" causing a cut to the victim's lip. The prosecutor said the defendant was generally being disorderly in the "busy coffee shop".

A defence lawyer said the defendant had "mental health difficulties".

District Judge Nigel Broderick said it had been a "nasty offence to headbutt a member of the public".

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