‘Acted hardman’ with the police

Jordan Topping, Church View Villas, Gilford, appeared in Banbridge Magistrates Court last Thursday by way of videolink from Maghaberry prison.

He admitted a charge of disorderly behaviour at Castlewellan Road, Banbridge, on July 19 this year.

Topping was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for two years.

The court heard that police in Church Square saw the defendant who was shouting and gesticulating.

He shouted the usual foulmouthed diatribe at police and was told to calm down.

Despite the warning from officers Topping continued and said he would go to the police station himself which he did.

He continued with his behaviour and was arrested.

Due to his level of intoxication he was not charged until the next day.

Mr Gabriel Ingram, representing the defendant, said Topping had gone to London in March of this year to get away from negative influences.

He explained that he got employment as a joiner on a building site.

The court was told the defendant’s biggest mistake was to come back to Northern Ireland for a week’s holiday to see his family.

Mr Ingram said Topping fell into the same pattern with the same peer group and was drinking.

He added that the defendant had his life on the right track and when he is released he intended to go back to London. District Judge, Mr Paul Copeland, said Topping’s persistent offending was getting worse and worse.

He added that the defendant’s ‘drunken bravado and acting the hard man in Banbridge’ had got him nowhere except sitting in a prison cell.

“If the court sees you again it will not be handing you a ticket to Heathrow but a ticket to Maghaberry,” said the judge.