Man's behvaiour '˜disgraceful'

A homeless man who missed out on representing Northern Ireland in a '˜World Cup' style tournament in the summer because of his continued offending has been back in court accused of rubbing police limb restraints 'around his genitals inside his underpants'.
Police rule out any criminal act in Coalisland incidentPolice rule out any criminal act in Coalisland incident
Police rule out any criminal act in Coalisland incident

David Given Surgenor (22), whose address was given as the Lighthouse hostel at Linenhall Street, Ballymena, had been on the verge of representing Northern Ireland in the ‘Homeless World Cup’ which uses football to inspire homeless people to change their lives.

However, Surgenor, who has 120 convictions, failed to make the team which came 13th out of 44 in Glasgow after drinking and re-offending. Last week he was jailed for five months for offending but because of time served he was released.

A police officer told Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday that on Tuesday police spotted Surgenor drinking at Ballymena’s Cullybackey Road in breach of bylaws but he laughed as he opened a second tin and shouted: “Up the hoods, up the UDA”.

Despite warnings to calm down he continued to shouting “U,U,UDA” and when arrested kicked out and spat at a female officer.

It took police ten minutes to get him into a cell van and after he removed leg restraints the police officer said Surgenor “rubbed them around his genitals inside his underpants” causing the PSNI to have to dispose of the restraints.

At Ballymena Magistrates Court Surgenor pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour; assaulting a police officer and criminal damage to limb restraints.

Defence solicitor John McAtamney said his client had been “sofa surfing” but that if released he could go and live with his mother. District Judge Peter King said it was clear Surgenor had no regard for court orders and described his behaviour as “disgraceful” as he remanded him in custody to appear back at the same court via video link on December 1.

In August Surgenor was given a suspended jail term after he phoned police and invited them to Ahoghill for a “stand-off” when he falsely claimed to have a sawn-off shotgun and a 9mm gun. Surgenor said he would “blow them away” and shouted “Up the UDA”.

Surgenor was back in trouble again on September 1 when he assaulted a man; assaulted a policewoman and caused criminal damage to a police cell van.

At a recent hearing a defence lawyer said Surgenor had been looking forward to representing Northern Ireland but “the old demons surfaced and they pulled him back into the abyss.”

He added: “What could have been a promising soccer career never materialised and unfortunately never will”.