Sean Drumm of Arney Road, Carneyhill in Bellanaleck appeared before Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday for sentencing via videolink from Hydebank Prison 

He faced ten charges – the theft of £30 of alcohol belonging to SuperValu, Irvinestown; two counts of resisting police, common assault, criminal damage to a police cell van and five counts of assaulting police – all of which occurred on July 3rd last. 

The court heard that the defendant exited SuperValu on the date in question with the alcohol in a backpack and made off down Mill Street towards Sallys Wood, while being pursued by a staff member.  

The staff member stopped him and asked for the alcohol back but Drumm held up a bottle and called them “a f***ing black bastard”. Police arrived on the scene as Drumm ran off through a residential area and into a field while being followed by a number of officers. 

When he was caught, Drumm threatened violence towards two female policewomen, striking them in the face several times. He also violently resisted police and limb restraints had to be used on him. He bit two other police officers and spat on them.

When he was detained and later shown CCTV footage of the incident in the supermarket, Drumm told police that he didn’t recognise the suspect as himself. 

However District Judge Michael Ranaghan said that in spite of the defendant’s mental health difficulties mentioned by his defence, the “brutality displayed towards police” indicated that the custody threshold had been crossed. 

Drumm was sentenced to six months in custody.