Police removed man for his own safety

Sean McDowell, whose address was given as Ardbeg, Dungannon, was jailed for six months on charges of assaulting police, assaulting his sister, and damaging an icemaker.

The court heard the charges arose out of incidents on March 2 and April 14 this year.

District Judge Eamon King also put in place a restraining order against the defendant prohibiting contact with his mother and sister and from coming within 500 metres of a property at Ballygawley Road.

Prosecution counsel said on April 14 police received a report that the defendant had threatened to take his own life and went to his mother’s address.

She said they spoke to the defendant through a bedroom window before entering the property. They found him intoxicated and for his own safety decided to remove him.

Counsel said he began shouting and lashing out, hitting a constable on the leg, and this behaviour continued outside where he kicked another officer on the leg before being put in restrains.

Referring to the incident on March 2, the lawyer said police were called to a domestic incident in which the defendant had injured his sister by closing a door on her arm.

A defence lawyer said McDowell has been in custody since April 24 having been refused bail.

He said the defendant has addiction issues with alcohol which he was attempting to address.