Sentencing has been deferred for six months in the case of a man who made “despicable” comments to police officers about murdered PSNI officer Ronan Kerr, from Omagh.

Paul Murphy, 29, from Woodview Crescent, Trillick appeared at Fermanagh Magistrates Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour and an assault on police. 

The court heard that on March 18 at 1.30am, police on patrol in the Darling Street area of Enniskillen witnessed a verbal altercation between two males. Police spoke to Murphy and he told them to “‘F’ off”. 

They noted that his fists were clenched and he was intoxicated. There were around 30 people in the vicinity. Murphy was advised to go home but he raised his fists to police and said: “I’ll take the lot of you on.” 

He was arrested for disorderly behaviour and en route to Enniskillen police station he kicked the car seats and said: “Ronan Kerr went the right way and you’ll go the same way.”

At the police station, he refused to take off his belt, he raised his fists and said: “I’ll be here all night so I might as well make the most of it.” When he was being put into a cell, he grabbed a police officer by the neck and tried to pull him to the ground.

Murphy’s defence solicitor Patrick Fahy said: “He expresses his remorse particularly in relation to his unsavoury comments.”

District Judge Nigel Broderick interjected: “His comments were not only offensive to the police officers but to the family of Ronan Kerr.”

Mr. Fahy continued: “He has zero recollection of the incident. It was the aftermath of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations when people consume inordinate amounts of alcohol; that’s why he finds himself here today.” 

Mr. Fahy said his client is in breach of a previous suspended sentence, saying: “I can’t get away from the suspended sentence which is hanging over Mr. Murphy until next May. He only has himself to blame.”

He suggested a deferred sentence to give Murphy a chance to prove himself, and added: “His emotional wellbeing is fragile to say the least. He attends counselling with Zest and he has always had regular employment.”

District Judge Broderick told Murphy: “There is every reason why I should send you to prison, not least the despicable things you said and your treatment of police in general. The thing that is saving you is your job.”
He deferred sentencing for six months until January 23.