Man became aggressive at A&E and kicked police constable

Appearing before East Tyrone Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday via video link was Liam Patrick James Campbell, 34, from Burnbrae Crescent, Cookstown.

He admitted a charge of assault on police as well as two counts of disorderly behaviour at Craigavon Hospital.

The court heard how, on October 8th, police brought Campbell to A&E to receive treatment.

There, he became aggressive when he was asked to sit down on the bed, refusing to comply.

He then demanded to be permitted to smoke and began shouting and swearing when he was told that he was not allowed.

As police were attempting to handcuff him, he kicked out backwards striking one constable in the shin.

“F*^k off and f*^k your wife,” he shouted as he was arrested.

Campbell was again arrested at Coolnafranky Park on October 17th on other charges. He was taken to hospital where he became verbally abusive towards police and hospital staff.

Within earshot of the public accident and emergency area he shouted “f*^k off” at police before asking: “Were you bullied at school?” He was subsequently arrested.

“He entered an early plea and regrets his actions,” Mr Fintan McAleer, defending, told the court.

“He suffers from a diazepam addiction... but in sobriety recognises that this behaviour cannot be tolerated.

“He frequently takes seizures and this is not assisted by his drug-taking.

“Due to his behaviour his mother removed him from school when he was fifteen years old,” Mr McAleer said of the father of one.

“He has been in custody on an allegation of intent to supply or possession and as a result of that he had his licence revoked.

“I would ask the court for credit that he remained offence free for a period of time.”

Deliberating over sentence, District Judge John Meehan noted that the defendant had two live suspended prison sentences.

“That was to allow him the opportunity to see if he could operate without prison,” Judge Meehan said.

He then handed down a prison sentence for the offences before activating all the suspended sentences leading to a total jail sentence of eight months.