Jailed for urinating on PSNI wreath

Patrick Peter McIlroy, Cromwell Street, Belfast, was jailed for three months for criminal damage on November 16 last year and one month for indecent behaviour.

The court heard that at 1.15am the defendant was seen urinating on a wreath that had been placed at the war memorial in Lurgan. The wreath had been laid by the PSNI.

McIlroy told police he was ‘having a p—s’ and his mate shouted run.

The case was adjourned from a previous court so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said McIlroy had a terrible record for public order offences.

A solicitor for the defendant said he had been in Lurgan that night because his friend was doing DJ at a bar where it was £1 a drink.

He added that McIlroy had too much to drink and wasn’t able to handle it. He went outside for a cigarette and needed to urinate.

The solicitor claimed there was nothing sinister and the defendant had not sought out this wreath. In the police station he had offered to pay for the cost of the wreath. He meant no offence at all.

He added that his client would say it was not a deliberate act.

Judge Bates said he did not accept for one moment that McIlroy had no idea what he was doing and this put the matter beyond the custody threshold.

Imposing the two custodial sentences he said he would not be suspending them.

McIlroy was released on his own bail of £200 to appeal against the sentence.