A judge has told a journalism student “you want to be writing the news, not being in it” after he found himself in court twice in recent days.

Eoin Killen, 19, admitted two counts of common assault and criminal damage at a hearing in Belfast, and subsequently pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour regarding a separate matter in Armagh.

The Belfast Metropolitan College student’s latest appearances in court come after he was fined last month over a street row with a friend, which had taken place last May.

Now the Belfast Telegraph has reported that Belfast Magistrates’ Court had ordered Killen to pay £100 compensation to a man and woman who he drunkenly targeted in the city during the early hours of 22 January.

Armagh Magistrates’ Court

The court heard Killen, of Abbey Park, Armagh, had allegedly punched the man up to four times before grabbing and ripping his t-shirt, with a prosecution lawyer adding: “At one point he said to the female injured party ‘I’m going to hit you, I don’t care.'”

Both victims managed to get back to their house, but were then pushed over a wall before Killen banged on their door for around five minutes.

When police arrested him he stated that he did not know the victims, expressing remorse for acting under the influence of alcohol.

James Hanna, defending, said his client had been drunk on the night of the assaults, and reacted badly to traumatic incidents in his own life.

Mr Hanna added: “His behaviour was unacceptable, he apologised to both injured parties and since then he has cut down on his alcohol intake.”

District Judge Fiona Bagnall ordered Killen to pay £100 compensation to each victim.

Hyperlocal website Armagh i has since reported on a further appearance by the teenager at Armagh Magistrates’ Court regarding an incident on Boxing Day.

The court heard on last Tuesday that police at the Armagh City Hotel came across Killen, who was shouting aggressively and was warned on two separate occasions about this behaviour.

He was arrested for disorderly behaviour but calmed down quickly and so was subsequently de-arrested.

Killen’s defence counsel said: “This was Boxing Night and a lot of alcohol had been taken.”

He was ordered to pay a fine of £150, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 20 weeks.

Reference was also made during the hearing to his previous court appearance in Belfast.

District Judge Brian Archer told him: “I see you want to be a journalist. You want to be writing the news, not being in it.”

He added: “You need to grow up, you do not want to be before this court again.”