A 41-year-old man threatened rip a police officers head off while being removed from a property a court has heard.

Christopher Dunne, with addresses of Ballaghmore Heights, Coleshill, Enniskillen and Sallys Wood, Irvinestown appeared via videolink from Maghaberry Prison on Monday to faces charges of theft, resisting police and handling stolen goods.

On June 15 and 16, 2019 Dunne stole alcohol to the value of £17.95 on both occasions from the Super Valu in Irvinestown. When interviewed by police he made a full admission that it probably was him on CCTV.

On August 19, 2019 police were in Sallys Wood on another matter and were asked to remove the defendant from an address. When he was being arrested he told officers: “I’ll rip your f**king head off.”

On February 24, 2020 burglaries took place in Irvinestown. The owners of one of the houses in Mill Street in the town were away on holiday at the time.

Denied all

Two days later in Omagh, property taken from Dunne was connected to the property at Mill Street. A search of Dunne’s home found items including a wheelie bin, coffee machine, Belleek china, a blanket and tools.

Irwin was interviewed and denied all offences.

Defending Barrister, Ian Turkington said Dunne was a man who was going through a tumultuous period at the time with the break down of his relationship with his partner and children and had taken drugs and embarked on a crime spree.

He pointed to a two year probation order which was given to Dunne by the Crown Court recently on other matters and asked the judge not to interfere with this order.

District Judge Steven Keown said he would not interfere with probation but after taking all things into consideration did give Dunne a six month prison sentence suspended for two years to have something hanging over his head and also ordered him to pay £35.90 restitution to Super Valu, Irvinestown.