A 35-year old woman from the Ballysillan area of Belfast has been banned from being within 500 metres of a parade, protest or procession after she appeared in court charged with shouting sectarian comments.
Belfast Magistrates Court was told that Carla Dunlop from Bilston Road verbally abused a group of nationalists standing at Divis Street on Monday July 13.
Dunlop faces a total of five charges arising from the alleged incident, including doing an act intending to provoke a breach of the peace and assaulting police.
A constable from the PSNI told resident district judge Fiona Bagnall that Dunlop was part of a group of up to 120 loyalist supporters who were following a Twelfth parade, and that she shouted sectarian abuse and threats at a group of nationalist protestors who were standing at the side of the road close to the Morning Star Hostel at the bottom of Divis Street.
When she was approached by police, Dunlop was "heavily intoxicated", and during her arrest she assaulted an officer and had to be restrained. The constable said Dunlop "continued to struggle" and once inside the police vehicle, she kicked an officer in the face. She also refused to identify herself.
Dunlop later claimed that she was drunk when the incident occurred and she couldn't remember anything about it.
Saying police were objecting to Dunlop being released on bail, the constable spoke of the "sectarian nature of the offence" and said this was a "sensitive time of the year due to ongoing community tensions".
A solicitor representing Dunlop said his client came before the court with no previous record and worked full time in two jobs. He also reiterated the point that Dunlop was drunk and could not remember what happened, adding the incident has been stressful for her and that her family were "distraught".
Mrs Bagnall agreed to release Dunlop on her own bail of £500 and imposed a serious of conditions. These include a ban on alcohol and from entering licensed premises, living with her parents and observing a 7.30pm to 7am curfew. Dunlop was also banned from being within 500 meters of a protest, parade or procession.
She was ordered to appear before the same court in four weeks time.
