Drunk man who‘ waved down police car’ had breached bail conditions

A DRUNK man from Londonderry who waved down a police car during a snow storm thinking it was a taxi has appeared in court for breaching his bail conditions.

Colm Oliver Carlin (41) from Collon Lane in Shantallow waved down the PSNI vehicle as he walked along Dungiven Road in the Waterside at 4.45am on Tuesday.

Carlin intended to ask the driver of what he thought was a taxi to drive him home.

However, when officers in the car stopped and carried out a background check on Carlin, they discovered that he had been released from court on January 12 on a charge of being disorderly in Altnagelvin Hospital.

His bail stipulated that he was not to be intoxicated in a public place.

A prosecution barrister told the Magistrate’s Court in Derry yesterday that Carlin was drunk when he waved down the police car.

Carlin pleaded guilty to breaching his bail condition and to being disorderly in the hospital. He had verbally abused hospital staff and police officers in the A&E department after he had been taken there in an ambulance.

Carlin apologised for his behaviour and was remorseful for his actions.

Deputy District Judge Ann Marshall described Marshall’s behaviour as outrageous and unacceptable, but said she took into account his pleas of guilty and the fact that he had a clear record in Northern Ireland.

Carlin was also fined £200.