A Co. Antrim farm worker who deliberately smeared cow manure from his boots onto the upholstery inside a police car has been given a suspended jail term.
Paul Baxter (35) – whose address was given as Millbay Road, Islandmagee, but who is originally from Feystown Road near Glenarm – rubbed the muck onto the inside of the vehicle and also tried to kick the driver during an incident in February of this year.
He was at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday for sentencing. He had previously pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal damage to the police car and two charges of assaulting police officers.
A prosecution lawyer said the farmer was being transported to custody when he kicked out at the driver and “rubbed his dirty boots, covered in cow manure, on upholstery”.
Compensation
Baxter was ordered by a judge to pay compensation of £55.20 for the cleaning of the police car.
Defence barrister Neil Moore said the assaults were “technical”, as the officers had apprehensions about being assaulted.
The lawyer said there had been an agreement between Baxter’s solicitor and police that a matter could be dealt with by arrangement, and then – on the day in question – two police cars arrived.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said the farm worker’s attitude was “poor” towards police during the incident and that he had been “making himself very difficult”.
He told Baxter: “In future, when you encounter the police your attitude has to be better.”