A “thug” who spat in a policeman’s face and called another officer “a fat b******” is to be jailed for six months, a judge ordered today.
James Briers was told that only imprisonment was appropriate for his outbursts during the pandemic.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard the 23-year-old assaulted one officer during an initial incident in the city on November 27 last year.
Police were called to an undisclosed address amid claims he had gone on a rampage, wrecking a television set and leaving a woman in fear.
Briers was arrested following a second encounter at Royal Avenue in the city centre on December 15.
Police were flagged down by a member of the public who claimed a man had struck and dented his Peugeot van.
The vehicle owner directed an officer to a nearby bus stop where Briers was standing with a two-litre bottle of cider, the court heard.
A prosecution lawyer said the defendant shouted: “You’re a fat b******, PSNI c***.”
With members of the public present, he ignored warnings about his behaviour.
Briers, of Westbourne Street in Belfast, was convicted of common assault, criminal damage, assault on police and disorderly behaviour in connection with the two incidents.
Passing sentence, District Judge Ted Magill told him: “You destroyed a TV, you put a young woman in fear of an assault, and you spat in a police officer’s face in the middle of a Covid pandemic.
“Then you behave in a thuggish fashion in the street, damaging someone’s car for absolutely no reason whatsoever, and behaving in an extremely unpleasant manner in full view of members of the public.”
Mr Magill confirmed: “Only custody is appropriate.”
With Briers currently behind bars for separate matters, the judge imposed a total of six months for the latest offences.
He also stressed: “That sentence should be served at the expiry of your (current) prison sentence.”
