Punched a man after being asked to leave

Gary Eunan McKeever, Ashgrove Manor, Portadown, admitted a number of offences last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

He pleaded guilty to common assault, resisting a constable, criminal damage to a pair of glasses and criminal damage to a police cell.

The court heard that on May 20 this year at 3.45am police were called to a disturbance at Parkside in Portadown.

The injured party said McKeever had entered him home uninvited and refused to leave. He said the defendant punched him and there was an injury to his left eye.

The victim said he had been having a few drinks with friends when the defendant walked in and became aggressive.

He claimed he was punched three or four times. His glasses were broken and he was left lying in the hall as McKeever went back into the living room.

Defence solicitor, Mr Conor Downey, said his client had been at the Armagh and Fermanagh match.

He added that McKeever had a lot of drink taken and on his way home he went past the home of the injured party who had been watching the FA Cup final with friends.

Mr Downey explained that one of those friends who had no authority invited McKeever into the house.

“Words were exchanged when he was told to leave,” he added. “He should have left and accepts he struck the gentleman.”

Mr Downey said McKeever had a problem with alcohol.

District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, said an aggravating feature was that the injured party was old enough to be the father of the defendant.

She added that as a child you were told not to hit anybody who wore glasses because the glass could go into an eye and blind them.

Judge Kelly adjourned the case until July 25 to get a pre-sentence report.