Disorderly man was topless at hotel car park in Templepatrick on July 12
A disorderly man who was topless in the car park of hotel on July 12 and then assaulted PSNI officers including kneeing a policeman in the groin has been given a five months jail sentence.
Colin Edward Nesbitt, who turned 40 on July 11 last year, pleaded guilty to being disorderly at The Rabbit Hotel at Templepatrick and assaults on police. He kicked another officer in a police vehicle.
The defendant, with an address listed as Oriel Park in Antrim town but now living at Carn Rise in New Mossley, was at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, on Tuesday, April 29.
A prosecutor said police received a report of an "aggressive" man in the hotel car park and when they arrived the defendant was "topless".
On August 10 last year he was involved in a road traffic collision in the Oldstone Road area of Antrim. A blood sample showed cannabis and other drugs including cocaine.
He was sentenced on charges of driving whilst unfit; absence of insurance and driving licence; possession of cannabis and Pregabalin and possession of a knife which was in the vehicle.
At 10am on Thursday, November 7, last year police were on a train and whilst between Antrim and Ballymena they smelt cannabis from the defendant. He produced two joints - one of them partially-smoked. He had been on his way to Ballymena Courthouse.
A defence barrister said the defendant had been intoxicated on July 12 and had "no memory" of what happened but had pleaded guilty.
The lawyer said the defendant has a "drug problem" and issues with alcohol. The defendant had 84 previous convictions.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said courts "will not tolerate" assaults on "public servants particularly police officers".
The defendant was sentenced to five months in jail; was banned from driving for 18 months and was fined £600. Bail in the sum of £500 was fixed for appeal.