A 31-year-old man has been put on probation for two years for resisting arrest, failing to provide a sample of blood, and provoking behaviour.

Ryan Kneen admitted the offences and was also ordered to pay £1,000 prosecution costs due to waiting until the day of the trial to plead guilty to the failing to provide blood charge.

Magistrates also disqualified him from driving for 12 months for that offence.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that, on February 14 at 10.51pm, police were called to Snugborough Avenue in Union Mills after a reported disturbance.

Kneen was in a rear garden there and was said to have become ’combative’ when police arrived and a struggle ensued.

Police requested additional assistance and Kneen was restrained using Pava spray.

He was taken to police headquarters but an initial allegation of affray was not pursued and he was charged with resisting arrest.

On March 14 at 2.07am Kneen was being investigated for a driving matter.

He was taken to Noble’s Hospital but had refused to provide a sample of blood for analysis.

Kneen initially pleaded not guilty to that offence but on the day of his trial changed his plea to guilty.

On July 16 Kneen was involved in another offence, this time of provoking behaviour.

Police were called to Close y Lhergy at Snugborough, where Kneen lives, as he had been involved in a row with a neighbour.

The neighbour said that Kneen had sworn at his partner then started shouting: ’Come on then. Let’s go out the front and have it out.’

He was arrested and when interviewed gave ’no comment’ responses to all questions.

He pleaded guilty to provoking behaviour.

Defence advocate David Clegg said that his client had a ’complicated mental health history’ and had spent just short of six months on remand.

Mr Clegg said that there were ’two sides to every story’ but if magistrates were prepared to follow the recommendation of a probation report, for a probation order, he would keep his submissions brief.

In relation to the provoking behaviour offence, the advocate said that there had been an ongoing dispute between parties and Kneen’s neighbour had been trying to climb into Kneen’s garden while police were talking to him.

’He is a young man who needs help. During his remand in prison he received no mental health support,’ said the advocate.

Magistrates ordered Kneen to pay the prosecution costs at a rate of £10 per week deducted from benefits.