Man who called police ‘Orange scum’ jailed
came out of his coma. He was able to respond to commands and squeeze his mother’s and father’s hands.
Every day brought improvement, but following the brain bleed Richard remained unresponsive after emergency surgery.
“The doctors were still
❝ Richard was the life and soul... you wouldn’t believe how much craic you got out of him
hopeful that he would come round again but we realised very quickly what we were going to be faced with,” Mr Weir added.
“The doctors couldn’t have been more apologetic and the treatment went on and on. The goal was for Richard to recover and to get him home.”
As part of the efforts to have his mother’s home ready for his arrival the Weir family set up a Gofundme page in May to help cover costs.
The £18,606 raised since then will now be split between Musgrave Park Hospital’s rehabilitation acute brain injury unit and the intensive care unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
“It was definitely encouraging to see that amount of money being raised,” Mr Weir said.
Looking back at Richard’s short life, his father said he was “just my wee buddy”.
“Richard was the life and soul,” he said.
“You wouldn’t believe how much craic you got out of him.
“He was my first child so I made a point of making sure that we created memories.
“From even when they were young, we went everywhere together.
“We went fishing, we went to watch the motorbike racing, and in his later years we actually had a wee carryout together. He was just my wee buddy.”
Requiem Mass for Richard will take place tomorrow at 10.30am in St Peter’s Church, Warrenpoint, and will be streamed live. Interment afterwards will take place in Warrenpoint Municipal Cemetery.
Due to the Covid-19 crisis both the house and funeral are strictly private. Those wishing to pay their respects can do so outside the church and messages of sympathy can be sent to the family.
Donations in lieu can be made to the brain injury unit at Musgrave Park Hospital via Mcanulty Funeral Directors in Warrenpoint.
A man who called police “Orange RUC scum” after they caught him fighting on a Belfast street has been jailed for two months.
Prosecutors said Jonathan Simpson shouted obscenities and threatened officers as they tried to bring him under control.
The 28-year-old, of University Street in the city, admitted disorderly behaviour and resisting police. Belfast Magistrates Court heard he was fighting with another man at Fitzroy Avenue in broad daylight on March 7 this year. Officers on mobile patrol spotted them throwing punches and falling to the ground. As the brawl continued Simpson was seen with fists clenched walking towards his foe. Police restrained him while the other man made off.
“He continued to struggle, (shouting) ‘you Orange RUC scum, you Orange RUC b ******* ,
I’m going to f ****** kill you’, a prosecution lawyer said. “He continued to swear, using obscenities and threatening to assault police.”
Simpson also accepted having a small quantity of Pregabalin tablets found in his clothing. His lawyer acknowledged: “This was unacceptable behaviour.”
Imposing two months custody, District Judge George Conner confirmed it will run concurrent to an unrelated term Simpson is already serving.