35-year-old Abdou Abouzid appeared in court on Friday afternoon.

In that time there were 662 shoplifting offences, representing an increase of 1.7 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Data from the Department of Justice shows that a total of 3,440 gardaí have been assaulted while on duty since 2014.

However, Ireland also has one of the lowest homicide rates in Europe.

Two men attacked and robbed a 26-year-old man in the early hours of Monday in Antrim town.

The “appalling” attacks on 17 police officers in various incidents across Northern Ireland over a 24-hour period have been condemned