Probation for Coleraine man who claimed he had 'no memory of coming to Derry'
48-year-old man avoids jail at Derry Magistrate's Court after admitting to a string of criminal damage and assault charges
A man who told police he had no memory of an incident nor of how he even got to Derry has been given probation at Derry Magistrate's Court today for a series of charges.
Graham Harkness (48) of Farranseer Park in Coleraine admitted two counts of criminal damage, two counts of attempted criminal damage, one charge of assault and possessing an offensive weapon namely a fire extinguisher.
All of the offences occurred on April 17 2025.
The court heard that police were called to an address in Asylum Road in Derry after receiving reports of a male acting aggressively.
When they arrived they were told the man was in the building and they saw Harkness carrying a fire extinguisher on his shoulder.
As police approached Harkness was seen to kick a door and put another man in fear of being assaulted.
When arrested Harkness said he had no memory of the incident and didn't even know how he came to be in Derry as he said he didn't drive here.
Defence counsel Brendan Kearney said his client had no memory of a period of hours.
He added that his wife had no tolerance of breaches of bail and had rung the police earlier in the week when the defendant had taken alcohol.
Harkness was sentenced to two years probation.