A BELFAST man who punched a police officer and left him with a suspected broken nose has been jailed for eight months.
Ryan Quinn (40) also struck a PSNI car with a beer bottle after demanding to be given a lift home.
In a further outburst, he spat on a McDonald’s security guard - telling the victim that he had hepatitis.
Quinn, with an address on Ormeau Road, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage, and common assault.
All of the offences were committed within a two-week period in May last year.
Belfast Magistrates Court heard Quinn launched one of the attacks on being taken into custody for a suspected breach of bail.
A prosecution barrister said he asked if he was being held overnight before punching an accompanying officer in the face without warning.
"The constable heard a crack (to the nose) and stumbled back in pain," counsel said.
"He received treatment at hospital, but there hasn't been confirmation that it was actually a fractured nose."
Police encountered an intoxicated Quinn again when a taxi driver flagged them down on Crumlin Road because he was refusing to leave the vehicle. Officers helped him out of the car, but he then demanded to be driven to his home.
"He threatened to damage property if police did not give in to his demands," the prosecutor said.
"Police advised they would not give him a lift anywhere, as they had another call to attend.
"As they made their way to their vehicle the defendant was observed throwing a Budweiser bottle at the police car, hitting the roof."
Quinn was arrested on a third occasion for targeting a security guard at McDonald’s on Castle Place in the city centre.
"He spat on him on three occasions and punched him once,” counsel added.
"Whilst spitting on the complainant the defendant also claimed he had Hepatitis B and C, in an attempt to scare him.”
Defence barrister Luke Curran told the court the offences all stemmed from his client’s poor mental health.
“This isn’t someone who is getting angry and deciding to take out his anger in a fashion that is unacceptable,” he argued.
But imposing a total of eight months custody, Deputy District Judge Liam McStay said: “This man needs to know that he has to temper his behaviour, particularly when triggered by his abuse of alcohol."