Police had to use CS spray to detain man

Derry Magistrate’s Court heard that police had to deploy CS spray to detain Richard William Samuel Bowers.

The 29-years-old, from Stevenson Park, pleaded guilty to assaulting and resisting police on July 22.

Police were called to the defendant’s home address to reports of an ongoing domestic incident.

Bowers became abusive to the officers and he ‘adopted a boxing stance and offered the officers a fight’.

He continued to be aggressive and CS spray was deployed.

As police restrained the defendant he lashed out, elbowing one officer in the face and punching a second on the chin.

Defence counsel Steven Mooney said his client had initially been charged with other offences following a verbal argument with his wife, which were not proceeded with.

He added that as a result of bail conditions, Bowers has been out of the family home for a number of months.

The barrister told the court the defendant made admissions to assaulting the officers during interview and ‘expressed some degree of apology’ to them.

Suspending a three month sentence for 18 months, District Judge Barney McElholm also fined Bowers £250.

The judge then warned the defendant, ‘I usually jail people for domestic violence, just for future reference.’