A DOWNPATRICK youth who was involved in an unprovoked attack on four teenagers has been given community service.
Pearse John McCarthy assaulted three of the teenagers who were waiting for a lift at the Belfast Road on July 15 last year.
At Downpatrick District Court on Thursday 18 year-old McCarthy, of Lynn Doyle Place, admitted the assaults.
The four teenagers had been at Downpatrick cinema and had walked to the Belfast Road to wait to be picked up by their parents, the court was told.
McCarthy was a member of a group of Downpatrick youths who launched the unprovoked attack on the teenagers at the Belfast Road roundabout.
A prosecution lawyer said McCarthy kicked one of the youths in the face while he lay on the ground and punched the others.
When police interviewed McCarthy, he told them he had gone over to break up the fight, not to get involved in it, the prosecutor added.
McCarthy was also in court for disorderly behaviour arising out of a separate incident at the cinema on May 7.
Police were called to the cinema to deal with an assault, the prosecutor said, and while they were investigating this matter, McCarthy became abusive to them.
When the police went to arrest McCarthy for this behaviour, he attempted to run away, but was quickly caught.
“He describes his own behaviour as disgraceful,” said solicitor Mr. John Keown, adding that McCarthy recently undertook an anger management course to help him deal with his conduct.
McCarthy was intoxicated during both of these incidents, he added.
Deputy District Judge Mr. Philip Mateer ordered McCarthy to complete 80 hours of community service, undergo probation for a year and complete alcohol counselling and a further anger management course.