Neighbours row over satellite dish ends up in court

AN ENNISKILLEN man has appeared in court for disorderly behaviour after a row with his neighbour over a Sky satellite dish “got out of hand” last Christmas Eve.
Ian Little (46) of Coolcullen Meadow, appeared at a remote sitting of Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour. He initially indicated he was going to contest the charge but entered a guilty plea to disorderly behaviour when another charge of attempted criminal damage was withdrawn by the Public Prosecution Service.
On December 24 last year police were called by the defendant himself as he was having a dispute with his neighbour over the TV satellite dish. Little believed his neighbour had moved the dish previously, disrupting his signal.
Little’s neighbour had also contacted police over the row, and stated the defendant was drunk. The court was told when police arrived Little did appear to have been drinking.
After police were contacted by both neighbours, Little was eventually arrested for disorderly behaviour.
Defence barrister Steffan Rafferty said the incident had been part of “an ongoing spat” between the two neighbours, stating the pair had been “at loggerheads.” Mr Rafferty, who noted there was “another summons matter” between Little and his neighbour that had yet to come before the court, said that on the night in question “things got out of hand.”
District Judge Steven Keown noted Little had “not been in trouble for 20 years”, in relation to his record, and gave him credit for changing his not guilty plea to guilty. He said if Little had been found guilty after a contest he would have dealt with it “very differently.”
Judge Keown gave Little a conditional discharge of 12 months, meaning if he does not reoffend during that time he will avoid a criminal conviction for the incident.