Lurgan man jailed for shouting and swearing outside properties on two different occasions

Caolan Shannon, aged 31, from Dill Avenue, Lurgan appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court via video link from Maghaberry Prison.

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Shannon pleaded guilty to two counts of disorderly behaviour in a public place, namely Coronation Street, Lurgan on October 19 last year plus another set of charges including disorderly behaviour at Castle Lane Mews, Lurgan and resisting police on January 5 this year.

The court heard that on October 19 last year at around 1.15am, police received a report the defendant was at Coronation Street, shouting through the letter box and banging on the door.

When police arrived Shannon was in the alley and approached police. “He was agitated and behaving erratically,” a prosecutor said.

"He admitted he had been drinking. Police tried to remove him from an area but he continued to shout obscenities and was warned about disorderly behaviour but continued to swear at officers.”

Also on January 5 this year, a prosecutor revealed police were tasked to a disturbance at 4.15am at Castle Lane Mews, Lurgan.

Shannon was wanted in relation to court bail. During arrest he began to resist the police officer and refused to leave the garden.

He started to shout abuse and use obscene language towards police. The prosecutor explained this was a built-up area and residents were exiting their properties due to the disturbance.

The court heard Shannon was threatening to spit at police and had to be restrained with a spit and bite guard.

She revealed he apologised during interview for shouting.

Mr Halleron accepted his record is “highly relevant”.

“This is a man who is arrested, charged, is unable to perfect his bail and then resides in Maghaberry for a number of months, and then ultimately is given an immediate custodial sentence,” he said.

The barrister said Shannon was in a “significant road traffic accident” last year and is still in “considerable pain”.

He added that Shannon claims part of his behaviour was because “he was in considerable pain as he was being taken away”.

The lawyer explained the most recent incident involved a dispute with Shannon’s brother which “ultimately did not go anywhere”. He added there was an outstanding bench warrant and that's when he got arrested into custody.

Mr Halleron said the defendant has two young children and unfortunately has spent “a considerable period of time in jail”.

"He has a decision to make in 2026 as to how he wants to continue with his own life, for the sake of his children, even if he has no concern for himself, but there are underlying issues with drink and drugs, which relate to experiences when he was a teenager, and the nettle hasn’t been grasped in relation to that,” said the barrister.

District Judge Peter Prenter said while these matters were “not trivial” they were “low level offending”.

“They were not pleasant, to say the least, for the people on the receiving end.

"You’re in your 30s now, you should really know better, Mr Shannon,” said the district judge imposing a four-month prison term for each charge, running concurrently.