A TRILLICK man who told police to “f**k off” and said they’d “go the same way” as murdered officer Ronan Kerr has avoided a jail term.
Paul Murphy (29) of Woodview Crescent, Trillick initially appeared before Enniskillen Magistrates Court in August where he pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly behaviour and assault on a police officer following the incident in the early hours of March 18, following St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
On that occasion, District Judge Nigel Broderick deferred sentencing for six months to give him a chance to stay out of trouble, and Murphy was back before the court on Monday of this week for sentencing. The incident in question happened at around 1.30am on March 18 last year, when police intervened in an apparent altercation between two men on Darling Street in Enniskillen. When they spoke to Murphy he told them to “f**k off” and refused to give them his details.
Murphy then clenched his fists and raised them as if to punch an officer. He refused to go home when told to by police, and said “I’ll take you all on.”
Murphy was aggressive when arrested and kicked the seats of the police car when being taken to Enniskillen Police Station.
The defendant then said “Ronan Kerr went the right way, and you’ll go the same way,” to the officers.
He again became verbally abusive at the station, and when he was refused a cigarette he replied “I’ll smoke you.”
When they tried to put him in a cell, he grabbed an officer around the head and had to be pulled off him.
In August, defence solicitor Michael Fahy said Murphy was “regretful and remorseful” and knew there was no excuse for his comments and behaviour, adding his behaviour had been caused by excessive drinking.
Judge Broderick had deferred sentencing for six months until last Monday, January 23, stating he would not impose an immediate custodial sentence if he stayed out of trouble.
On Monday, Mr Fahy said a pre-sentence report on Murphy, who was previously subject to a suspended sentence, was “relatively positive.” Judge Broderick ordered Murphy to carry out 60 hours community service, and reactivated his previous suspended sentence for a further 12 months, in order to “leave something hanging over his head.”
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