Sentence deferred to see if man who admits assault following incident at Derry hotel behaves

Sean Hegarty (31) of Spruce Meadows in Derry admitted charges of assault, disorderly and resisting police on September 17 last year.

The court heard that police were called on that date and on arrival found two males, one of them being Hegarty.

Hegarty was described as being 'visibly irate' and was believed to be under the influence of some substance.

The defendant became 'agitated' and squared up to police, and staff asked for him to be removed from the premises.

The other male said that Hegarty had assaulted him.

When police tried to get Hegarty to leave he resisted and eventually had to be handcuffed.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley told the court during the hearing on Friday that the incident would be 'of concern' to the court.

He also told the court that since this incident, Hegarty had become the carer for his child and asked for a deferred sentence to allow him to show he could behave himself.

The solicitor said that the alternative was immediate custody 'as there was no other place to go'.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that Hegarty did not deserve a chance but the child had done nothing.

He warned Hegarty if he 'steps out of line I will come down hard on him.'

Sentence was deferred until August 16 to see if Hegarty could stay out of trouble.