Spitting at policeman was '˜appalling'

Jude Jonathon Larmour (24), unemployed, of Fortuna Street, Belfast, appeared at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Monday and admitted charges of assaulting and resisting a police officer as well as disorderly behaviour.

A prosecutor said at 1.30am on Sunday June 18 this year police responded to a report for urgent assistance at Mark Street in Portrush where up to 15 people were involved in a disturbance.

Larmour was being restrained by a friend and swore at police and was arrested after refusing to calm down.

He struggled and as he was being escorted to a police vehicle he continued to shout and swear before, the prosecutor added, he spat into an officer’s face and saliva went into the policeman’s mouth.

Larmour made obscene remarks, including sexual comments, and added: “I hope I spat in your face, I hope it hurt, I hope I spat in your eye”.

He then said: “It must be embarrassing to be a police officer.”

Representing himself in court, Larmour said he was “idiotic” and had acted very stupidly on the night in question when he was “drunk” and “wasn’t thinking”.

District Judge Liam McNally said it was an “appalling piece of behaviour” and said normally it would result in immediate custody, particularly for spitting in the face of a 
police officer, but he suspended a four months jail term for two years; fined Larmour £100 and ordered him to pay £100 compensation to the police officer.