Edward Edens, 35, of Park Avenue in east Belfast, received a six-month prison sentence at Belfast Magistrates Court. He pleaded guilty to assaulting police and causing actual bodily harm after an incident on May 19, 2023.

Officers attended his home for a suspected domestic matter. Edens hid in the attic and threw objects down the stairs as they attempted to arrest him. One officer suffered a cut to the hand. Another had a nose injury and a chipped tooth requiring dental treatment.

District Judge Anne Marshall noted Edens's previous convictions for assaults on police and his late guilty pleas. She stated custody was required to protect officers carrying out their duties.

Domestic-related charges against Edens were withdrawn. His defence counsel described a fragile mental state and heavy addiction to illicit drugs, with cannabis as a key factor. Edens received bail pending an appeal against the sentence.