Court told of 'Braveheart' moment when man bared buttocks and rubbed his nipples at police

A man whose behaviour ‘had echoes of Braveheart’ was ‘embarrassed’ by his actions, a court in Northern Ireland has heard. Derry Magistrate’s Court heard that 24-year-old Raymond Rogan exposed his buttocks to police as they dealt with Public Order incidents. Rogan, of Derry, pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour and indecent behaviour on July 14th.

The charges related to an incident in the Westland Street area of the city. The court was told police were dealing with ‘sporadic incidents’ of public order offences in the early hours of the morning. A number of petrol bombs had been thrown and a van was hijacked and burnt out. There was a group of 50 young people in the car park of a local bar and a number of them had their faces covered by scarves.



Bottles were being thrown at police when Rogan emerged from the crowd and approached the police vehicle. The 24-year-old was carrying a bottle of beer and began shouting aggressively at police. Police advised him to leave the area but he continued to shout ‘f*ck off out of the Bog. Time to go home.’ He lifted his top, ‘licked his middle fingers and began rubbing his nipples’. Rogan walked away and exposed his buttocks to police. During interview, the defendant said he was sorry for his behaviour, which he described as ‘shocking.’

He told police he was drunk and it was not like him to behave in this way. Defence solicitor, Michael McGee, said his clients behaviour ‘had echoes of Braveheart’. He added Rogan was ‘embarrassed’ by his actions on this night which was ‘bravado’. The solicitor said the 24-year-old was ‘fuelled by alcohol and jeering peers’. District Judge Barney McElholm said ‘I am sure the whole incident traumatised police greatly’. He adjourned sentencing to see if the defendant is suitable for community service. Rogan will appear in court again on January 8.