Suspended sentence for disorderly conduct

A man with an horrendous record of offending, claimed he was a kickboxing champion and told police “I will take you all on”, Londonderry Magistrates’ Court has been told.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Oct 2015, 10:30 BST

Joseph McLaughlin (37), of Glasgow Terrace, pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour and assaulting police on May 29.

Police were called to Hazelbank in the early hours of the morning because McLaughlin was banging on the door of a property. They found him lying at the side of the property and he said he did not know what he was doing and accepted the offer of a lift home from the police, but became abusive and aggressive. He claimed he was an Irish kickboxing champion, took off his hooded top and said: “I am going to batter you muppets.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He struggled violently with the officers and continued to shout and threaten them until he was arrested.

The defendant was in breach of a probation order and abBinding over order, both of which were imposed for disorderly behaviour.

Defence counsel Michael Doherty said his client was highly intoxicated when police arrived and took exception with the way police dealt with him. He described his client’s behaviour as unacceptable.

Deputy district judge Chris Holmes said McLaughlin had an horrendous record for disorderly conduct and imposed a six month sentence, suspended for three years and re-sentenced him on the two breach cases. He also imposed a two-year probation order and bound him over in the sum of £1,000 for two years.