A teenager accused of involvement in the “disgusting” Ballymena riots will only be released from custody if he agrees to assist with integrating migrant families into the local community, a Northern Irish High Court judge has ruled.
Mr Justice McAlinden granted conditional bail to Darren O’Neill (18) after hearing that the racially motivated disorder has cost the Northern Ireland economy millions of pounds.
In June, police were attacked by fireworks, petrol bombs and masonry during three consecutive nights of unrest sparked by an alleged sexual assault on a schoolgirl in the Co Antrim town.
Homes and businesses were also targeted during the violence which then spread to parts of Larne, Newtownabbey, Portadown and Derry.
READ MORE
The court heard some properties were set alight while ethnic minority occupants were present, forcing families to flee for safety.
“The cost to the local economy and cost to police is estimated to be in the region of millions (of pounds), and the reputational cost to the north, given the racial elements, has been immeasurable,” Crown counsel said.
Mr O’Neill, of Drumtara in Ballymena, faces charges of riotous assembly, burglary with intent to steal and arson in connection with prolonged outbursts of serious violence on June 10th.
He was allegedly captured on CCTV throwing a rock at police lines in the Clonavon area of the town, as well as dismantling a trampoline for parts to use as missiles.
Later in the footage he joined others entering a house ransacked the previous night and attempted to remove a table for a road barricade, according to the prosecution.
Mr O’Neill was then allegedly observed in a group who tipped a car on to its roof after the vehicle had been set on fire at Larne Street.
He subsequently handed himself in to police and confirmed that it was him in the footage.
Counsel added: “He admitted to being involved in the rioting and said he got swept up in things and was egged on to take part.
“He stated someone had provided him with a balaclava to wear but he didn’t initially attend the area with it.”
Thomas McKeever, defending, told the court his client is an orphan and never previously been in trouble.
“There was no premeditation, he got caught up in the riot but accepts fully that his actions were completely deplorable,” the barrister submitted.
Condemning the rioting, Mr Justice McAlinden branded it “a very, very dark passage of time in our recent history”.
He stated: “The nature of the offending here was quite disgusting.
“What that melded into was widespread attacks on immigrant families in a number of areas in Northern Ireland, including the leisure centre in Larne where a number of immigrant families had taken refuge.”
But the judge also said he had been moved by a report from a social worker who described Mr O’Neill as “a good person with a good heart”.
Releasing the defendant under strict conditions, he imposed a strict requirement that the defendant must participate with a Ballymena-based charity or organisation helping immigrant families to integrate in the community.
“He has to sign an undertaking that he will meaningfully engage in that work if he wishes to be granted bail,” Mr Justice McAlinden insisted.
“It will also help heal the intercommunity damage that has been occasioned in that particular area.”
