A 52-YEAR-old Omagh man who punched a police officer on the face after being told to calm down has been fined £200. Brian Devlin of Gortrush Park was also ordered to pay £50 compensation to the PSNI officer.

Omagh Magistrates Court was told police saw the defendant waving his arms and shouting on John Street in the town at 11pm on February 11. The officers who noticed a smell of intoxicating liquor from the defendant's breath told him to calm down. However Devlin continued yelling and on being arrested punched the officer on the side of the face. When cautioned he said, "F*** off, I want my solicitor."

A defence solicitor stated Devlin had no previous convictions and on the night was intoxicated and had been in a row with doormen after leaving a bar. The defence added, 'When he saw police he was still angry and lashed out instinctively and knows he should not have done that."

Second disorderly offence

POLICE officers used CS spray to 'calm a situation' which resulted in a 20-year-old Sixmilecross man receiving a second disorderly behaviour conviction within two years. Christopher McGaughey (20) of Loughmacrory Road was bound over to be of good behaviour in the sum of £600 for two years. He was also fined £300.

In the early hours of October 10 last, a police mobile patrol was dispatched to a fight near a restaurant on John Street, Omagh. The defendant was identified by three females who claimed he had assaulted them. The court was told when the police attempted to arrest McGaughey, he struggled and told them to 'f*** off.' Police used CS spray to calm the situation.

A defence solicitor said McGaughey was "intoxicated and is annoyed at being back in court again with the consequences for his record". He had no recollection of hitting the girls but accepted he was "reckless".

The females did not press charges.