Suspended sentence for Newry man who kicked pub door after being thrown out

Adrian Joseph Patrick Morgan, of The Glen in Newry, was given a three month jail term suspended for a year following the incident which took place on Sunday, March 16.

The court heard how police attended a report of a drunk male kicking the door of Nan Rice's, Francis Street, Newry at around 11.15pm.

On arrival police observed a male that matched the description from the initial report. He appeared to be unsteady on his feet and a bouncer confirmed that he was the male who had been reported.

Police tried to calm Morgan down and level with him, however he became quite irate.

Morgan confirmed his name and continued to show unpredictable behaviour by being calm one moment to getting aggressive and clenching his fists the next.

Police deemed it necessary to apply cuffs to the rear of the defendant. He was escorted to the police vehicle and due to him complying the handcuffs were placed into a front stack.

However, he became aggressive and launched himself at an officer. Morgan was taken down to the ground and continued to show aggression, putting himself and others at further risk of harm.

A decision was made to place him in limb restraints. Morgan continued to resist police as they made efforts to put him into the back of a cell van.

He was arrested for disorderly behaviour, assault on police and resisting police.

A defending solicitor said: "The whole thing started when he was asked to leave. He tried to get back in, police gathered around him.

"He was seriously outnumbered so I don't know what he was doing remonstrating with them. He spent the night in the police station.

"It was just too much drink taken at the time and he accepts that."

District Judge Eamonn King remarked that the last record on his record was "probably similar circumstances".

He added: "Has he not learned a lesson?"

Morgan's solicitor responded: "Time has passed, he doesn't drink as a habit but when he does he's now realised that it doesn't suit him."