A 33-year-old Maguiresbridge man who assaulted two police officers faces a 150 hour community service order after he came before a recent sitting of Fermanagh Magistrate's Court.

Resident Magistrate Paul Copeland heard how at approximately 1.00am on the 19th March Niall Barry Butler from Harryville Street, Drumgoon was in a bar when he was asked to leave. He refused to do so and ran into the ladies toilets.

On police arrival, he was put in the back of the vehicle and shouted at police. He struck one constable on the chest. The officer was able to restrain Butler and he was taken into custody. No injuries were sustained. Another constable was hit on the left side of the face. It was a case, the Prosecution outlined, involving a drunk man who misbehaved in a bar and became abusive.

Defending, Nessa Murnaghan told the court that her client had abstained from alcohol for eight months and that on this occasion he had been out over the St. Patrick's weekend. He thought, she submitted, that he had left that part of his life behind him but he now knew that total abstinence was the only way he was going to avoid coming back to court.

She said Butler was very sorry for his actions and had apologised from the outset and in person to the officers concerned . He was a man who was making an effort to stay away from court, she went on, he had responsibilities for his daughter, and had a new motorbike which was another incentive for him to stay away from drink.

Mr Copeland noted that this was the fifth time Butler had been before the court on disorderly behaviour offences over a period of 10 years. The last offence was in 2004 which suggested to the him that Butler might commit a similar offence again in the near future.

For assaulting the policemen, Mr Copeland sentenced Butler to 150 hours' community service, to run concurrently.