An Enniskillen man who attacked another man by headbutting him has been handed a three month suspended prison sentence when he appeared before a recent sitting of Fermanagh Magistrates Court.

Kenneth William Fawcett (41) from Carran Crescent in the town appeared before the court charged with assaulting Raymond Elliott on 3rd June last.

The court heard that on 3rd June, 2006 an altercation was reported to police between the injured party and the defendant. The altercation took place at a house on the Irvinestown Road area of Enniskillen, the home of a mutual friend of the two men.

When police arrived at the scene, the Court was told, the defendant was arrested and cautioned for assault, which he admitted. The injured party, it was noted, had suffered cuts and swelling to his head.

Defending, Nessa Murnaghan submitted that her client had co-operated with police and had admitted his guilt from the outset. Her instructions were that drink had been involved in this and in previous offences committed by Fawcett.

"He has fought, and lost, a battle with drink over the years, but in recent months, he has been off the drink", she added. "He has sought treatment for his alcohol problem and has removed himself from this particular peer group".

This was essentially, she submitted, a row with a drinking buddy.

Sentencing, Resident Magistrate Austin Kennedy noted that the defendant received a suspended sentence in 2004, for criminal damage and that he also had a charge of grievous bodily harm.

"You are building up quite a record for yourself" he commented before sentencing Fawcett to three months in prison, suspending the sentence for two years.