Toome man jailed for ‘unprovoked attack’

Fifty-five-year-old Michael James Devlin from McCorley Road admitted assaulting another man on November 14 last.

Prosecution counsel told Magherafelt Magistrates Court on Wednesday that the incident happened around 1.20am when Devlin walked up to the man and put his hand on his throat and then head-butted him.

The lawyer said he was later arrested and told police: “I don’t give a f***.”

Defence lawyer Eoghan Devlin asked the court to consider when sentencing the fact that the defendant has already spent two and a half months in custody.

Mr Devlin said the defendant had a “checkered lifestyle” which resulted in him being unable to perfect bail as he could not obtain an address.

District Judge Oonagh Mullan told the defendant, who appeared by video-link, that his behaviour had a detrimental impact on his victim’s mental health.

Referring to a victim impact statement, the judge said the injured party said that prior to the incident Devlin had never given any indication anything was wrong.

Ms Mullan said the victim felt that he was in the company of a female and this may have caused Devlin to react in the way he did.

The judge warned Devlin not to speak or have any interaction with the injured party.