A pregnant teenager has appeared in court charged with disorderly behaviour and assault on police.
Rebecca Gallagher-Gregory, 18, of Market Street Court, Tandragee stood before Armagh Magistrates’ on Tuesday in relation to a disturbance at Woodview Park in the town last summer.
On August 5, police were called to what was described as an “unseemly fracas” between two males in the park.
Court heard that this fight had broken when a man confronted a young person who had been harassing his son.
However, police arrived to find “a sorry group of young people” drinking nearby, including the defendant, who said she had not consumed any alcohol.
The prosecution stated that this group were “egging on the fight” and “‘acting the maggot”.
Officers asked the group to vacate the area but this request this was met by verbal abuse from the defendant.
Gallagher-Gregory shouted “I f****** live here” at police.
Court then heard how one of the defendant’s friends told officers that she had a knife and drugs in her possession.
Gallagher-Gregory was arrested for disorderly behaviour but during her apprehension, she kicked out at police and connected with one female officer’s knee.
She had previously been unable to attend the court due to hospital appointments and that this should be seen as her first opportunity to plea, defence added.
Gallagher-Gregory had her own account of the story claiming she had been asked to move from the pavement of her street, which defence claim “she took offence at”.
The defendant also denied drinking as she was pregnant and stated it was her friend that had claimed that she had a knife.
Court heard that her reaction was due to being manhandled by police, as she tried to explain to officers that she was pregnant. It was when police persisted, the defence added, that she kicked out.
Continuing, defence counsel said that this was out of character for the teenager and she “now knew not to get involved in such incidents”.
District Judge Paul Copeland described the defendant’s behaviour as “disgraceful” and was bound over to keep the peace for two years on her own recognizance of £500.
She was also ordered to pay £250 as compensation over eight weeks.
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