A formerly successful Omagh man who lost his businesses, became divorced and estranged from his family due to his alcoholism was sentenced to three months imprisonment when he appeared at Omagh Magistrates' Court on Tuesday for assaulting a paramedic.

Gerard Keegan now of Wolfe Mews, Armagh, was lying helplessly drunk in an Omagh street on May 29 when an ambulance crew tried to attend to him. However, he became abusive and aggressive and struck a female paramedic on the thigh. Police were called and he was abusive to the telling them to "f**k off".

He appeared at Omagh Court on foot of an arrest warrant after failing to attend a June 22 hearing.

The court heard that police were called to Bridge Street where ambulance service staff were dealing with a violent man. When police arrived, the accused was lying on the ground shouting abuse. A public prosecutor said that, when ambulance staff tried to assist him, he lashed out.

Defence counsel Craig Patton, instructed by Elliot Turner, solicitors, told the court that the defendant did not recall the incident and he accepted fully the police and Ambulance Services' version of events. He said Keegan was deeply embarrassed and apologised to all concerned.

Mr Patton said that his client had a poor record which he said was "a typical alcoholic's record." At the time, he had hit 'rock bottom' but things had since become more positive in his life. He said Mr Keegan was regularly attending as many as seven or eight Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week and was sponsored by two local businessmen, one of whom offered him a job if he stayed "dry".

Mr Patton said that while the defendant had a clearly an alcohol problem that he was not a 'hopeless case' and he had taken steps to address his problem.

RM Liam McNally acknowledged that Mr Patton's plea had been impassioned and detailed on the defendant's behalf. However, he observed that the accused had an atrocious record and that every possible disposal had been tried by the court. The courts take a serious view of those people who drink and assault members of the emergency services who come to their assistance.

Given that the defendant missed two court hearings due to his drinking, Mr McNally said that he had no confidence in the defendant's attempts to rehabilitate himself.

He therefore imposed three months imprisonment.

He also fined the accused £100 for being drunk in a road, and estreated £500 bail money from the defendant. The defendant was granted leave to appeal and bail was set at £500.