Lurgan man headbutted police officer called to domestic incident, Craigavon court hears

Tony Maher, 40, whose address was given as Monbrief Walk, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with common assault, attempted criminal damage, assault on police, two counts of criminal damage, resisting police, and assault on a police designated person.

The court heard that on September 20, 2024 police attended an address in Lurgan following a call from a woman who said her ex-partner was kicking her door and shouting through the letterbox.

It was stated that the defendant then went to the woman’s mother’s house and began shouting in her face.

Police located the defendant nearby. During arrest, the defendant headbutted an officer and damaged his radio.

He was then said to have been spitting in the police vehicle and when he was taken into custody, he assaulted the custody detention officer and the defendant had to be restrained.

A defence lawyer told the court: “He is back together with his partner but there has been tension in the family with his partner’s mother. It shouldn’t have happened and he is not proud of it. His behaviour generally was poor.

"He wants to put the case behind him. He has been in custody for the equivalent of a six-month sentence.”

During sentencing, District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “The most serious offences are headbutting a constable and a headlock on a detention officer.”

Mr Ranaghan imposed a custodial sentence of six months on each of the charges, as well as an offender’s levy of £25.