Christopher Masterson (27) of Derrin Park in the town appeared via videolink from Maghaberry Prison before Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday for sentencing having been charged with assaulting two members of the PSNI. 

The court heard that police attended a domestic incident at 5.40pm on 11th April where Masterson had caused some damage including smashing a window. The occupants of the house had requested that the defendant be removed from the premises. While in the house, Masterson was rifling through a cutlery drawer in the kitchen and police feared he was attempting to self-harm. As they approached Masterson, a violent struggle ensued. The defendant told police to “f*** off and spat in the eye of one of the officers and kicked the second policeman in the head. During the struggle, Masterson said to the police: “If I see you up the town and out of uniform, I will kill you.”

District Judge Nigel Broderick heard that Masterson had become addicted to prescription medication following an injury and was also in breach of a suspended sentence.

Defence solicitor Conor Heaney told the court: “My client has asked me to make it perfectly clear that he is deeply apologetic for his behaviour. After he was shown the police body camera evidence of him spitting at the officer, he was left in a state of discomfort. He is under no illusions that he is on a very precarious path in terms of sentencing on this matter.”

Mr Heaney added that his client had completed 70% of an 18 month probation order handed down in a previous case before his “drug and alcohol issues rose to the surface again”. 

Judge Broderick told Masterson that his assault on the two policemen had been “quite disgusting” as he sentenced him to a total of eight months in jail. Masterson also given a concurrent sentence of two weeks in custody in respect of his outstanding probation order.