A teenager was jailed for a year on Monday over a series of assaults and spitting incidents involving police.
Thomas Connolly, 19, of Orient Gardens in Belfast, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on 13 separate charge sheets and pleaded guilty to a total of 23 charges.
These included five counts of assault on police, attempted assault on police, resisting police, four of disorderly behaviour, four counts of criminal damage, six of possessing Class A, B and C drugs and theft of a bicycle.
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A prosecution barrister told the court on Sunday, July 31, 2022, police were tasked to the defendant’s home address and arrested Connolly for an unrelated matter.
While being conveyed to custody, Connolly became “aggressive and started shouting and struggling against police”.
During attempts to restrained, he kicked one PSNI constable in the ribs and attempted to spit at him.
“They had to move him into another vehicle so they could control him better. In the second vehicle, he spat at another police officer and shouted at him ‘I have Covid’. While in Musgrave custody suite, he kicked a civilian detention officer in the leg and was arrested for assault.”
On July 31, 2021, police attended a children’s home at College Park Avenue in Belfast after a member of staff reported that Connolly was a resident and had returned home in an “agitated state”.
“He entered a communal area and started shouting and smashing plates on the floor. He later jumped onto a Volkswagen Caddy vehicle belonging to the Belfast Trust, denting the bonnet and caused the windscreen to crack. The cost of repairing the van was £486.”
On Saturday, May 8, 2021, police received a report around 9.20 pm of an ongoing assault in University Street, Belfast. A number of injured parties told police they had been assaulted by Connolly and another male.
“One victim said that he was viciously punched from behind causing him to fall to the ground and named his attacker as Connolly. As he tried to get to his feet, he was kicked in the face by another male. He suffered cuts to his inner lip and needed hospital treatment.”
On Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 10 am staff at the Welcome Centre in Belfast’s Townsend Street reported to police that Connolly was “causing a disturbance”.
“He was asked to leave but refused. At one stage he twisted the fingers of the injured party and dislocated three fingers,” said the prosecution lawyer.
In an incident on January 1, 2023, police were tasked to the Royal Victoria Hospital in West Belfast following the report of an assault. The prosecutor said police observed Connolly being restrained by hospital security staff.
“One of the security officer’s said he had been called to the urgent care area of the hospital over an aggressive male. Connolly kept invading his personal space and appeared to be intoxicated. He said Connolly was also shouting at hospital staff and patients.
“As they were escorting Connolly out of the building, he struck a security officer to the head with his elbow and with aid of other colleagues the defendant was brought to the ground and restrained until the arrival of police.”
Said the district judge: “This is a difficult sentencing exercise. There is an incredible array of offences here and I note you have 27 prior convictions and you are a repeat offender with 23 youth conference orders.
“Someone like you offends, offends and offends and doesn’t receive any serious punishment. You cannot receive anything other than immediate custody. Nothing else is appropriate.”
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