Man given suspended sentence for headbutting police officer

A 19 year old man who head-butted a police officer was given suspended custodial sentences last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

Jamie Starkey, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to four months, suspended for two years, for assaulting a constable on May 3 this year.

A concurrent three month suspended term was imposed for disorderly behaviour as well as a two month sentence for resisting a constable.

The court heard that at 1.55am police went to a house in Union Street, Lurgan, where they found the defendant asleep.

As they came out he shouted abuse at them and was arrested for disorderly behaviour. He was drunk which was in breach of his bail conditions.

Starkey then became violent with police and headbutted an officer, making contact with his lip.

A solicitor for the defendant said every entry on his record was as a result of alcohol abuse.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said the court would normally require a pre-sentence report especially with an aggravated assault.

Starkey, he added, had cases cleared up in Armagh and he had been in custody since the previous Saturday so he would deal with the matter by way of suspended sentences.

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