Man made comments of racial nature

While he was being taken to a police station a 29-year-old man made comments of a racial nature, Craigavon Magistrates Court heard last week.
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Andrew James McClean, whose address was given as Banbridge Road, Waringstown, was sentenced to five months in prison for disorderly behaviour on September 17 this year.

He was also sentenced to three months in custody for obstructing a constable.

Both sentences are to run concurrently and were suspended for two years.

The court heard that just after 1am police were called to Woodside Green in Portadown after a report of a disturbance.

McClean was being abusive to members of the public and approached police in an aggressive manner.

While he was being conveyed to the police station he made remarks of a disturbing racial nature which meant the offence was aggravated by hostility.

A barrister representing McClean said he was very intoxicated but it was not the case the police were called because he was making these unsavoury remarks.

The case had been adjourned from a previous court so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained and the lawyer said the report suggested that some sort of education may be appropriate.

He added that McClean had read the Koran and disagreed with a lot of what that faith stood for.

District Judge, Mr Peter King, said it was a difficult sentencing exercise.

He added that because of the ‘appalling behaviour’ the custody threshold had been well and truly crossed but in November McClean had received a suspended sentence for disorderly behaviour so he would also suspend the sentences.

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