Four more men in court after recent Northern Ireland disorder
PA
There were violent incidents across Northern Ireland
Four more men have appeared in court charged with offences related to recent disorder in Northern Ireland.
Two Bangor men – 30-year-old John Edward Robinson of Rathgill Park and 28-year-old Corey McNabb of Balmoral Avenue – were denied bail at Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court after being charged with online offences.
At Belfast Magistrates’ Court, 58-year-old Glen Kane of Riga Street in the city was charged with possessing written material intended or likely to stir up hatred or arouse fear.
Jason Galbraith, 26, of no fixed abode, was charged with a number of offences relating to 3 August after an anti-immigration protest in the city centre.
Damaged gate
The charges against Mr Galbraith included riot, arson, conspiracy to commit arson, three counts of possession of an offensive weapon with intent and two of criminal damage.
One of the criminal damage charges involved allegedly damaging an electronic gate at a Holiday Inn.
The arson charges related to damaged cars.
Mr Galbraith spoke only to confirm he understood the charge.
He did not apply for bail, which the judge said was a sensible option.
The case is due to be heard again on 9 September.
‘The police will have eyes on you’
Mr Kane, who was charged with possessing written material intended or likely to stir up hatred or arouse fear, was released on bail under conditions.
Police told the court that under a search warrant a number of items had been seized from Mr Kane’s address, including Ulster Volunteer Force badges, pictures and flags and two boxes containing a publication that they could not name in court due to its religious commentary.
Mr Kane said the two boxes of the publication simply “arrived on his doorstep”.
The judge said he did not believe this explanation.
Mr Kane’s defence argued that the publication was available widely online and that while there were some sections of the community that might not like the material, it was not an offence that should be brought before the court.
The judge dissolved court for five minutes to look through the publication.
After reviewing it, he said while the document may not be an illegal publication, the content was insulting.
The case is to be reviewed on 9 September.
The judge warned Mr Kane to behave himself and said: “Be careful going forward – as the police will have eyes on you”.
‘Smoke the hotels out’
Mr Robinson is charged with intentionally encouraging or assisting rioting, sending messages via electronic communications threatening to burn hotels and publishing written material intended to arouse fear or hatred.
He also faces a charge of possession of fireworks without a licence.
The court heard Mr Robinson had posted responses including “smoke the hotels out” on Facebook and “that’s more like it, the shops up in smoke, hotels needed” on Facebook messenger.
Police objected to bail on basis of a perceived risk of further offences, potential interference in the investigation and harm to the public.
Mr Robinson’s defence team said that he had not posted anything since last weekend, that he had no standing or platform in the community and that he had posted something drunk and now found himself in front of the courts.
‘Serious in light of the wider situation’
Mr McNabb appeared by videolink from Musgrave police station in Belfast.
He is charged with sending menacing messages via electronic communications namely that “they should burn the marine court down instead of standing in front of it”.
He is also charged with doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of arson.
The court heard he posted a single message on Facebook and that he had done so in anger.
Refusing bail to both men, the judge said the messages were serious in light of the wider situation and that bail applications were premature.
The offences with which Mr Robinson and Mr McNabb are charged are alleged to have been committed over the weekend of 3-4 August.
Both men are due to appear in court again in September.
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