Andy Collins
A 29-year-old Enniskillen man who repeatedly called another man a ‘woman beater’ in the early hours of the morning at the Diamond has been convicted of disorderly behaviour.
Andrew Collins, of Lawnakilla Park was given a two month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months when he appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court.
The prosecutor outlined that on November 9, 2014 at 2.35am police were on mobile patrol in The Diamond area of Enniskillen where they separated a man and woman, who were fighting. The man, Collins had earlier been fighting with the woman’s partner, who was then arrested.
Collins and the female continued to shout at one another, with police then taking the woman away in the direction of Pat’s Bar to speak to her about what had happened.
Collins then approached them and said “that boy over there is a woman beater’, pointing in the direction of the woman’s partner who had just been arrested. She made police aware the defendant was referring to her partner. Collins again started shouting “woman beater” repeatedly before being told to go away by police. He continued however to shout it.
The woman pleaded with Collins saying: “Please don’t say that” and began to cry and police again asked the defendant to leave, stating he was only making the situation worse. Despite being warned Collins again shouted “woman beater” and was brought to the other side of the street by police where he was arrested.
Defence solicitor Emer Cox told the court that her client had been the subject of a serious assault in September 2014 and had suffered from harassment. She also explained that the defendant’s home had been vandalised and as a result he rarely socialised in Enniskillen.
Ms Cox said that Collins intended to move away and had obtained work outside the town. On the night in question the defence explained that Collins had witnessed an altercation with the male and female and had wanted to tell police about it. She conceded that the defendant now accepted the manner he approached this was not acceptable. “He had good intentions,” the solicitor said.
District judge Nigel Broderick noted that Collins was in breach of a suspended sentence, but acknowledged this was for indecent behaviour and not disorderly behaviour. The judge highlighted that alcohol was a factor in both of these offences and due to the defendant’s work with probation, decided against activating the suspended sentence. He left the defendant with a warning:
“You’re in a precarious situation. Re-offend and you will very likely go to prison.”
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