Homeless man claimed he had been 'begging' in Ballymena before getting caught up riot
A MAN said he had no money and after he had gone "begging" in Ballymena he ended up at police lines where he said he had thrown a brick because he "felt intimidated".
Jamie McCracken (34), of no fixed abode, admitted rioting in Ballymena on June 11 this year.
He had been on remand in prison and appeared via video link at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to a charge of riot.
A prosecutor said at 9.20pm on June 11 police saw the defendant "throwing masonry" towards police. The defendant said he had thrown a brick at a wall and said it was not aimed at officers.
The incident was "captured on TikTok and the male can be clearly seen throwing masonry directly at police," the court was told.
The defendant had told police he was homeless and was staying in Ballymena with a friend and when he got dropped off in town realised he had no money "so he went begging around the town and he found himself at police lines. He said he felt intimidated so he threw a brick in the direction of police".
A defence solicitor said the defendant wished to apologise.
The lawyer said his client's involvement was "an isolated incident" and the defendant wished to apologise.
The defendant who had 42 previous convictions was weeping in the video link booth in prison and his hands were held together in what appeared to be a praying motion.
Deputy District Judge Peter Prenter said there had been three days of "lawlessness" in Ballymena in June and jailed the defendant for five months.