Northern Ireland

MLA's car 'wasn't surrounded by loyalists,' says marshall

The SDLP's John Dallat said his car was surrounded by loyalists on Friday night. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
The SDLP's John Dallat said his car was surrounded by loyalists on Friday night. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin The SDLP's John Dallat said his car was surrounded by loyalists on Friday night. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

AN SDLP assembly member's car was not surrounded by loyalists during a parade in Co Derry, a marshal at the march has claimed.

John Dallat said he had to ring police after a group of loyalists kicked his car and took photographs in Kilrea on Friday night.

The veteran politician said he had only driven into the village to collect a Chinese takeaway and had been surrounded after he moved his car during a break in the march.

But parade marshal Mark Heaney has claimed the behaviour of the bands was "totally faultless".

"We always make a point of speaking to police after the parade to see if there are any issues, and bar minor traffic issues, there were no incidents in Kilrea that evening," he told the BBC.

He claimed that no-one surrounded Mr Dallat's car.

"His car was in full view of myself the whole time - at no stage was anybody surrounding his car," he said.

"The only time anybody was near Mr Dallat's car was whenever a band was coming up and trying to get past him."

However, Mr Dallat rejected Mr Heaney's version of events and said he had been "petrified".

"All I wanted to do was get out of the town," he said.

"I can still see that battery of mobile phones, flashing and taking pictures, having me cornered like an animal - it was really horrible stuff."