Stephen Lee Thompson, 40, of Hillside in Antrim, has been sentenced to seven months in prison after admitting a series of offences including possession of offensive weapons in public and assaulting a police officer.

Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, heard that Thompson was caught with a hammer and saw near a bar in Antrim after 1am on Valentine's Day earlier this year. CCTV footage showed another person holding him back as he approached the pub.

On June 5 this year, Thompson admitted charges of assaulting a police officer and disorderly behaviour. The court was told he threatened to spit at an officer and was disorderly when a spit guard was placed on him.

His defence barrister said that substance abuse had influenced his decisions and that Thompson wished to apologise. The court also heard that he had managed to improve his behaviour while on remand in custody.

Thompson had more than 120 previous convictions. In a separate case last year, he had been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register after exposing himself.

That earlier case involved police receiving reports of a drunk, naked man shouting and swearing in front of people, including children, and attempting to assault members of the public in Antrim town on the evening of May 7 last year.

A prosecutor said Thompson had become completely naked during those incidents, initially wearing trousers but no top before removing the lower half. Police observed him on Station Road shouting and swearing in an aggressive manner while naked and intoxicated, in front of young children and members of the public.

One witness said he was walking from Antrim Bus Station towards his home when Thompson ran behind him and swung an arm around his neck and shoulders in an aggressive manner.

Thompson had pleaded guilty to exposing his private parts, disorderly behaviour at Station Road, and two assaults in connection with that case.