Man proceeded to pull down his trousers after police spotted him urinating in public view

Ryan Stewart (33), of Drumtara in the town, admitted charges of indecent behaviour and disorderly behaviour at Antrim Road and also possession of cannabis on June 4 this year. A prosecutor said police saw the defendant urinating at a pathway near the Phoenix filling station at 4.45pm in full view of a roadway, playing fields and “members of the public who were passing by”. Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, heard the defendant apologised to police for urinating but then “proceeded to pull his trousers down”. When police found cannabis in his jacket on a nearby wall, the defendant asked officers: “Can I have my grass back?” The defendant told police he had a “couple of beers” in a pub and after fearing he would not make it home had relieved himself in bushes “off the main road”. A defence barrister said after drinking alcohol the defendant had been “caught short” and had tried to make an effort to “secrete himself in among trees but obviously police saw him” and had then gone “one step further”. The lawyer said if the defendant had continued to apologise and not become “obstreperous” with police he would not have been arrested. District Judge Nigel Broderick said he would give the defendant a “chance to avoid custody” by deferring sentencing until February next year but warned the defendant he must not re-offend.