A man who shouted abuse about the Catholic Church and vulgar remarks about Jimmy Savile at a grammar school's sports day claimed a drone filming the event made him feel paranoid at his neighbouring home.

Gary Mairs (40), of Carndale Meadows, Ballymena, appeared at the town's Magistrates Court for sentencing after previously admitting three charges after the incident at St Louis Grammar on June 1 this year.

Mairs had two charges of being disorderly - one at Carndale Meadows and the other at St Colmcille's Primary School, which shares a site with St Louis - and a charge of assault.

A prosecutor told an earlier hearing the St Louis School case was "aggravated by hostility".

A prosecution lawyer said Mairs shouted abuse at staff during a sports day including comments about the Catholic Church; "paedophiles"; "perverts" and "Jimmy Savile".

He entered the school grounds and continued to be disorderly whilst shouting obscenities.

Defence barrister Stephen Law said alcohol was a factor and the incident was "sparked by the flying of a drone" which was filming the sports day events over his residence.

In his inebriated state, he "became paranoid and went to remonstrate".

He said Mairs, who is a carer for his mother who has dementia, has anger management issues and needs to control his drinking to stop such "loutish" offences.

Mr Law said the defendant has been to his GP "to ensure that this drinking will stop".

The barrister said alcohol is the catalyst for Mairs behaving aggressively.

Mairs previously admitted to unrelated offences, including being drunk at a McDonald's restaurant in Ballymena when he caused £120 damage to windows after being removed by security staff for being under the influence.

The court also heard on another occasion, Mairs jumped in front of police vehicles responding to a report of people fighting in the town. He told police: "These b******* are North Belfast UDA scumbags" and he said "South East Antrim" were needed for them.

District Judge Des Perry said Mairs' behaviour at the school was "appalling" and "disgraceful". He imposed an eight-month jail term suspended for two years and put him on probation for a year. Mairs was also ordered to complete 80 hours of community service.

The judge warned Mairs if he reoffends he will be looking at over a year in jail. Judge Perry said he was giving Mairs a final chance and said he needed to get his drinking under control.

Belfast Telegraph