A man who was caught short at a band parade has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
Ronan McFarland, Ballynahaye Road, Dungannon, pleaded guilty to indecent behaviour.
Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday that the incident took place at around 10pm on June 16 at a band parade in Portadown.
A member of the public approached police and told them a man had exposed himself in front of her on Cecil Street.
Officers walked up this street and found the defendant, who provided them with his name.
Court heard the 44-year-old’s penis was exposed during the conversation with police.
It was also heard that another witness said she had seen him facing a wall “fiddling with himself” on Cecil Street.
As she turned to walk back to the bands she saw that he was holding his penis in his left hand.
When cautioned by police, McFarland said: “I did not do anything wrong.”
The defendant was interviewed the next day and told officers he had been out drinking and had been “caught short”.
McFarland stated he had urinated on an electric box but following this had difficulty getting back into trousers.
When asked why he had turned around thus exposing himself the defendant said that he wanted to see the bands.
Defence solicitor John McAtmaney said McFarland wished to “apologise for the distress he caused”.
He added that “drink had played a large part in this offence” and that the defendant had been “abstinent from alcohol since this date”.
Court heard that McFarland had one previous conviction for an offence of a similar nature back in 2007.
District Judge Paul Copeland told the defendant: “You will know that this behaviour would be alarming and distressing to the public in particular females.”
McFarland was sentenced to four months in prison suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of £300, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 10 weeks.
