Co Antrim man who was drunk at band parade freed on bail because the marching season is over

Ordering that Samuel Robinson can be released again, District Judge Peter King told the 29-year-old “if this was the 12th July as opposed to 1 September, you would be in custody.”

“There are no more parades for you to be a nuisance at,” said the judge at Coleraine Magistrates Court.

Robinson, from Spence Crescent in Cullybackey, had been on bail awaiting sentence on charges of disorderly behaviour, resisting police and having a firework without a licence.

In that case, the court heard that having bought a blue flare from a stall outside Ballymena police station, Robinson was seen running around the North Road with a lit flare in his hand on 17 May this year.

As the plumes of blue smoke were annoying people and children in the area, officers tried to escort Robinson away from the area but the 29-year-old “dropped to the ground and refused to stand.”

“He started shouting ‘spray me, spray me, go’ as police made attempts to stand him up but he was actively resisting and pulled away,” the lawyer told an earlier court.

As Robinson continued to refuse to comply with the officers’ instructions, he told them “watch, I will destroy you” before throwing himself down and trying to bang his own head off the ground several times.

“He proceeded to swear and shout in the street, despite multiple warnings,” said the lawyer, adding that despite being handcuffed, Robinson “attempted to choke himself” and eventually, officers put him in limb restraints.

In court today a police officer outlined how officers were called to the Royal Black Preceptory parade in Antrim due to a drunk male “being a nuisance and causing a disturbance.”

Initially, Robinson was arrested for breaching his bail by being at the parade, but the officer conceded that as the arrest was at 7.30pm, the parade was over.

She added however that Robinson’s bail conditions include that he is not allowed to be drunk in public, revealing that he gave a breathalyser reading of 141, more than four times the legal drink drive limit.

“The best that can be said is that now the Last Saturday is over, there’s no more parades for him to be a nuisance at,” Judge King told the court.

Ordering that Robinson can be released again, the judge adjourned the case for sentencing on 9 September.