Man is jailed for three months

He was Abdelaziz Latif, of Colban Crescent, Lurgan, and he admitted breach a community order imposed on him.

Having been convicted of common assault, criminal damage and breaching a non molestation order Latif was put on probation.

A condition of his probation was that he should participate in the domestic abuse programme.

However he failed to comply with the requirements and he was in court last week to be sentenced for the original offences.

A probation report was available to the court and District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said it did not make good reading for the defendant.

A barrister for Latif said there was very little he could add but asked that something should be left hanging over his head.

District Judge Bates said the defendant was given a probation order with the condition that he took part in the domestic abuse programme

But, he added, Latif had not engaged and had shown verbally aggressive behaviour with probation staff.

Revoking the probation orders District Judge Bates said it was the ‘lowest level of engagement with the programme I have ever come across’ adding that the defendant was completely unco-operative.

Latif was taken into custody but later in the court his lawyer applied for his to be released on bail for appeal against the sentence.

Mr Bates set bail at £400 and released the defendant.

Latif appeared again at Craigavon Magistrates Court last Friday.

This time he admitted an offence of disorderly behaviour on September 30 this year at Alexandra Crescent, Lurgan.

The court heard he was shouting outside the benefits office.

Latif’s solicitor said there was an issue inside the benefits office and the defendant felt he was being discriminated against. There was a history between him and a member of the staff.

However, added the solicitor, he accepted this was not an excuse for the acting in this way.

District Judge Bates said this matter crossed the custody threshhold and gave him a one month prison term but suspended it for 12 months.