Enniskillen Court House
A 55-year-old man, who attacked police who attended his home because he was self-harming, has been given a 12 month probation order.
Monday’s sentencing hearing at Enniskillen Magistrates Court was told that at 4.47pm on September 12th last, police called to the Gary Brien’s home address at Main Street in Ballinamallard after being alerted that he had threatened to harm himself with a knife.
Officers had attended his home earlier that day after he cut himself and took him to the South West Acute Hospital for treatment. When police later returned to the property, Brien let them in to talk to him but he soon became aggressive. The defendant pushed up into a policeman’s face and then threw a mobile phone at one of the constables, who was not injured. Brien was charged with assaulting police.
Defence solicitor Sean McHugh pointed out that the mobile phone thrown at the officer was still in use.
He added: “The defendant has no recollection of the incident having taken place due to his level of intoxication at the time. He wishes to apologise to police for his behaviour.”
Mr McHugh said his client had past issues with alcohol and had managed to abstain until the death of his mother.
“He was very close to her and resorted to alcohol, stopped taking his medication and there were a number of incidents of self-harm. He has a poor record but his last offence was in 2013 and it’s his intention that there will be no more incidents of re-offending.”
The court heard that Brien’s partner had contacted police to express concern about his welfare.
District Judge Nigel Broderick noted Brien’s “poor record” and that he seemed to have “a lot of issues going on”.
The judge added that the pre-sentence report prepared for the case indicated that the probation service was prepared to work with Brien who was ordered to attend a drug and alcohol programme.
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