Northern Ireland

Teenager accused of Bangor pier assault 'faces abuse from both sides of community'

Cora Campbell pictured at Newtownards Magistrates Court
Cora Campbell pictured at Newtownards Magistrates Court Cora Campbell pictured at Newtownards Magistrates Court

A teenager accused of involvement in a “vicious assault” on Bangor pier faces abuse from both sides of the community, a judge heard yesterday.

Newtownards Magistrates Court was told that when 18-year-old Cora Campbell reports to police three times a week, she crosses geographically from one side of the community to the other.

Defence counsel Conor O’Kane also said she is “living under a loyalist death threat.”

Applying for her bail conditions to be relaxed, he told the court: “Every time she walks to the police station, she gets abuse... she gets abuse from the nationalist community and abuse from members of the loyalist community.”

Campbell, with an address at English Street in Downpatrick, is one of three teenagers accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a teenager in an attack on April 20 which was recorded and viewed millions of times on social media.

A 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy have also been charged.

Previous courts have heard claims that the victim was “lured” to the pier where she was allegedly attacked by Campbell and her co-accused.

A detective constable told Deputy District Judge Peter Prenter she “would be reluctant" to lift the accused's curfew of 7pm-7am, but in regard to the condition that she signs at a police station three times a week, “she is tagged and I don’t believe that the signing is really necessary”.

Mr O’Kane said that was a “fair concession” and added that he was not seeking complete removal of the curfew but for it to be pushed back for a few hours, submitting that with the light evenings “it's a bit draconian to have a teenager in by 7pm”.

He told the court that to date, Campbell has obeyed each and every condition of her bail.

Judge Prenter said he would remove the reporting condition and vary the curfew so that Campbell has to be home by 10pm.