Derry Court: Man 'given chance after chance after chance' jailed for disorderly behaviour

A man who a judge said had been 'given chance after chance after chance' has been jailed at Derry Magistrate's Court today.

John Paul O'Hagan (40) of Harvey Street in Derry admitted three separate charges of disorderly behaviour that occurred on August 28 and September 10 last year and on February 12 this year.

The court heard that the incidents occurred in Waterloo Place and Orchard Street and involved a single charge of disorderly on each occasion. 

Defence solicitor Conor McGurk said that it was not a 'flattering report' provided by probation but the one constant was the defendant's alcohol abuse.

He said that each of the charges related simply to disorderly behaviour and there was no violence or threat of violence. 

The solicitor described the behaviour as 'the lower end of offending'.

He said that O'Hagan had made attempts to address his alcohol abuse and had gone for 9 months without coming to adverse attention.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that the defendant had been given numerous chances and he was sure he had been warned that he was on his last chance. 

He jailed O'Hagan for 8 months.