A County Armagh man has been found guilty of disorderly behaviour at Fermanagh Magistrates Court following an incident during this year’s Lady of the Lake Festival.

Paul Joseph Denny with an address of Ashlea Gardens, Markethill, Armagh was arrested by police on July 21, 2019 following the incident on the Main Street, Irvinestown.

The court heard at around 2.20am uniformed police on patrol in the town at the Lady of the Lake Festival observed the 26-year-old defendant shouting obscenities on the Main Street.

There was a large crowd still congregated in the area.

Denny continued to shout and was escorted away by police when he said to them: “You are not the Garda.”

A struggle ensured and Denny shouted more obscenities before he was arrested.

A barrister representing the 26 year old told the court that on this occasion the defendant acted in a way there was no excuse for and it was clear that alcohol had been consumed at the time.

She said it had been a number of years since her client had been in front of the court and he hoped to remain out of court for the forseeable future.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan pointed out that Denny had a suspended sentence hanging over his head from 2017 but chose not to activate it on this occasion.

Judge Ranaghan took into account Denny’s previous record for this type of offence and told the 26 year old that the custody threshold had been met.

The judge sentenced Denny to three months in prison but suspended it for three years, giving the defendant credit for his early plea.