The initial incident took place outside the Bush Bar, Enniskillen
A 27-year-old Bellanaleck man who punched a police officer after he was warned a number of times about his behaviour has appeared before Enniskillen Magistrates Court.
Mark Joseph Lewsley, of Mallard Heights, pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly behaviour and assaulting a police officer when he appeared before Monday’s court.
The prosecution outlined that on October 6 at around 1.50am police were on duty in The Diamond area of Enniskillen when they spotted Lewsley fighting near the Bush Bar approximately 10ft away from where the officers were standing.
The officers approached the accused and told them what they saw and warned him about his behaviour. The court heard that the defendant’s friends said they would take him home, however, a short time later the officers spotted Lewsley arguing and throwing punches and obstructing traffic.
The officers asked Lewsley for his name but he gave several fake names before his friends identified him. The defendant was cautioned for the offence and told him to go home.
But almost immediately they saw him fighting and throwing punches at his friends forcing the officers to intervene again.
Lewlsey then attempted to punch the officers and told them to ‘f**k off’. It was then that a number of his friends surrounded the officers and started arguing with them. Lewsley became so aggressive that officers had to restrain him to the ground. He was told that he would be lifted off the ground but he then became limp and wouldn’t move forcing the officers to pick him off the ground and carry him to the police car.
When he was cautioned again for the offences he told the officers: “Whatever, I will get a telling off and it will be all right in the morning.”
He was taken to Enniskillen police station where he was arrested for disorderly behaviour and assaulting a police officer. The court heard that one of the officers sustained bruising to his right eye and had pain for three days.
Lewsley’s defence solicitor told the court that his client was so drunk on the night he was arrested that he does not remember any of it. He said that the Lewsley was remorseful and sorry for the incident.
The court also heard that Lewsley had breached a binding over order which was imposed from a previous offence.
District Judge Nigel Broderick ordered the accused to 80 hours of community service and to pay a fine of £100 for breaching the binding over order and £250 compensation to the assaulted police officer.
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