District Judge tells disorderly Cookstown man he really needed to ‘grow up’

Twenty-nine-year-old Alan Harkness from Tamnaskeeny Road, Cookstown, was fined £300 with a £15 offender's levy for disorderly behaviour.

Judge Michael Ranaghan told Harkness other people had been impacted by his behaviour on this occasion and at his age he really needed to grow up.

Mr Ranaghan said it was the defendant’s second conviction for disorderly behaviour, the last being in 2017.

Prosecuting counsel told Dungannon Magistrates Court on Friday that on January 29 last, at approximately 1.00am, police conducting night time duties at James Street in Cookstown were monitoring the defendant, who was shouting expletives at police and members of the public in the vicinity. He was told to return home but refused the police instruction.

The lawyer said Harkness continued shouting and swearing at customers going and coming from a pizza shop, and at one point pushed through police to get at a man. She said he was aggressive and had to be brought to the ground by the police officers.

Admitting the offence, a lawyer said Harkness had too much to drink on a Saturday night celebrating a birthday.

He said he had one previous for a similar offence and was now attending AA meetings and has completed five sessions to get help for his alcohol issues.

Pleading for leniency, the lawyer stressed that Harkness wished to apologise to the police for his behaviour on this night.