Co Armagh man, who was arrested after his mum phoned police, levelled racial slurs at a PSNI officer and attempted to bite him

Malachy McCann, aged 25, of No Fixed Abode, appeared before the court via video link from Maghaberry Prison charged with two counts of assaulting police, one of resisting police and another charge of criminal damage.

He pleased guilty to the four charges through his barrister Mr Joel Lindsay.

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A prosecutor told the court that on Thursday, September 21 last year at 2.45pm, police received a 999 call from a woman reporting an incident. Police attended and arrested the defendant and whilst they were escorting him to the police vehicle he became confrontational and started to tense up. The prosecutor said the defendant called one of the officers a ‘Paki Bastxxd’ on numerous occasions.

“He placed his teeth on the officer’s left arm and attempted to bite down on him but the officer withdrew his arm quickly. Whilst en route to custody he kicked out at the constable several times and repeated various versions of the offensive phrase I outlined earlier,” the prosecutor continued.

"He also called him a terrorist, Taliban, a Muslim and said his visa is going to expire numerous times,” added the prosecutor. He said that when McCann arrived at Lurgan custody suite he became even more aggressive towards both constables and began to spit in the back seat of the vehicle requiring it to be cleaned.

Mr Lindsay told the court that McCann has been in custody since September 23.

“I am not going to make any excuses. His behaviour was outrageous. He is remorseful about his behaviour. He had too much drink taken,” said Mr Lindsay.

District Judge Francis Rafferty said: “In respect of the assault on the constable, I find that is aggravated by race and there will be a sentence of five months.”

For the assault on the other constable, McCann was given a four-month jail term. For resisting arrest he was sentenced to three months in jail and for the criminal damage charge he was sentenced to four months, with all sentences to run concurrently. An offender levy was imposed with the first assault.