Northern Ireland

Court hears more protests planned following Maghaberry jail demonstration

MORE protests are planned following a demonstration outside Maghaberry prison, a judge has heard.

Two men accused of rioting had their bail conditions varied at Lisburn Magistrates Court today, with District Judge Rosie Watters removing a prohibition on Emmet McSheffrey (21) and Jordan Devine (20) from being within 100 metres of “any notified or unnotified protest”.

McSheffrey, from Oakland Park in Derry, and Devine, from Synge Court in the city, are also facing charges of possessing fireworks at the jail on September 26 this year.

Two other men, Derry Saoradh chairman Jude McCrory (23), from Magowan Park, and Caoimhin Murphy (20), of Altowen Park in Coalisland, are also facing charges - McCrory with disorderly behaviour and Murphy with rioting and possessing fireworks.

It followed an overnight protest involving “over 100 people” at the prison visitors centre, revolving around the treatment being received by remand inmate Dr Issam Bassalat who was being held in Covid-19 quarantine at that time.

A police officer was hurt during the disturbances and an earlier hearing was told there had been a “confrontation with police” and that some of the protestors had let off fireworks, including “fireworks thrown over the perimeter fence”.

Devine is alleged to have “thrown at least five missiles” at police.

Last week, at Belfast's High Court, Mr Justice McAlinden lifted the same restriction in respect of McCrory, telling the court that "irrespective of whether they are palatable political views or not, the right to express political views must be protected in any democratic society".

In court today, a defence solicitor said police had “no objections” to the bail condition being lifted in relation to Devine and McSheffrey and District Judge Rosie Watters said given the fact “the High Court agree, what more can I do?”

“The world is a very strange place - you have a human right to go and do that regardless of your bad behaviour in the past,” said the judge.

The solicitor said “there are further protests being planned” and District Judge Watters told him “hopefully they won’t be in my area”.