A teenager spread gallons of hen manure on a road before Ballymena’s first Pride parade as part of “a prank”, a court has heard.
Coleraine Magistrates Court also heard that Isaac Adams (19) “made full and frank admissions” to police when he was arrested.
Adams, from the Lislaban Road in Cloughmills, confirmed his identity and that he understood the three charges, all alleged to have been committed on June 28.
Adams was charged with causing criminal damage to Granville Drive in Ballymena, causing manure to be deposited on the road and possessing a bladed article, namely a lock knife.
While Adams was charged to court, a 20-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the incident has been released on police bail.
During Adams’ brief court appearance, a police officer said that a patrol happened upon a male, wearing a balaclava and carrying “two empty 25 litre jugs”.
“He admitted that he had been spreading the manure over the roads to disrupt the Pride Parade,” the officer said.
Adams, the court heard, “freely admitted” that he intended to disrupt the Pride parade due to be held later that day and during formal police interviews, the teenager told police “he was not the only person involved”.
The farmer told police he had filled four or five five-gallon jugs with “hen litter waste” from his family farm “and described it as a prank”.
Regarding issues of bail, the officer conceded the parade had now taken place and further that Adams has no criminal record.
District Judge Peter King heard the clean up operation cost £788.
Judge King freed Adams on his own bail of £500 and adjourning the case to July 24, imposed several conditions including a curfew and barreing Adams from entering Ballymena.
