Newtownabbey man lunged from hospital bed before spitting in face of police officer
A man who lunged from a hospital bed and attempted to bite a police officer's hand before he spat in the face of a second officer has received a four months jail sentence.
Paul Crossan (27), of Abbeyville Street, Whiteabbey, was sentenced for being disorderly at Antrim Area Hospital; assaulting three police officers and causing criminal damage to a PSNI cell van.
A prosecutor told an earlier sitting of Antrim Magistrates' Court, that at 4.15am on August 31, 2024, police attended a report of an "aggressive male" at a property in Newtownabbey. Incapacitant spray had to be used.
The defendant told police he had "taken a number of different drugs" and was taken to Antrim hospital, where he was verbally abusive to staff and police.
He was in a hospital bed and lunged at an officer, attempting to bite their hand. Another officer was spat at with spittle landing on their cheek.
Whilst being taken to a cell van, Crossan kicked out, hitting an officer on the arm. He repeatedly hit the inside of the van and spat in the vehicle.
Sentencing had been deferred last November with a condition the defendant should not re-offend.
He’s now admitted possessing diazepam on December 13, 2024.
A defence barrister said the defendant "accepts drugs are still a major issue for him".
At court on Tuesday, March 18, District Judge Nigel Broderick told the defendant he should have gone to custody earlier for "spitting on a police officer's face and being disorderly at a hospital" but he had been persuaded to defer sentence in the hope he would not re-offend.
The defendant was given £500 bail pending appeal.