Northern Ireland

Belfast loyalist given community service for assaulting policeman

David 'Dee' Coleman was ordered to complete 147 hours' community service for assaulting a policeman, disorderly behaviour and resisting police
David 'Dee' Coleman was ordered to complete 147 hours' community service for assaulting a policeman, disorderly behaviour and resisting police David 'Dee' Coleman was ordered to complete 147 hours' community service for assaulting a policeman, disorderly behaviour and resisting police

A prominent Belfast loyalist must complete 147 hours' community service for assaulting a policeman and disorderly behaviour, a judge has ordered.

The sentence was imposed on David 'Dee' Coleman over an incident near his home on the Lower Shankill estate last August.

He was filmed being pursued on foot by PSNI officers after they arrived at the scene.

The 31-year-old, of Hopewell Crescent, had denied allegations of barging past a constable and trying to avoid arrest.

But following a contested hearing at Belfast Magistrates' Court he was convicted of assault on police, disorderly behaviour and resisting police.

Coleman returned for sentencing yesterday, accompanied in the public gallery by a number of associates.

District Judge Amanda Henderson was told he still has 93 hours left to serve from a previous 120-hour community service for a separate offence.

She directed that he must also carry out a further 147 hours for the three offences before the court.