Lurgan 'dog walker' denies city rioting

Published Wednesday, 25 July 2012

A lawyer for a Lurgan man accused of rioting in the Ardoyne area of Belfast on the Twelfth of July has claimed the only time his client left his home on the day in question was to walk his dog.

Scenes of trouble in Ardoyne during Twelfth rioting. (© Pacemaker)

Pearce Toman, aged 25 and from Drumnamoe Avenue, was identified from a newspaper photograph and pictures from an Army helicopter, according to a prosecution lawyer who said the accused had thrown a petrol bomb and pushed a burning car at police lines.

It was also alleged that Toman had been seen near a stash of petrol bombs being prepared by rioters.

The prosecution lawyer who said Toman had travelled over 20 miles to put himself at the scene of a riot opposed bail because of fears that the accused could re-offend.

Toman's lawyer said he denied he was the man in the photographs and claimed the only time he left his home in Lurgan on the Twelfth was to walk his dog.

Toman is charged with attempted grievous bodily harm, riotous assembly, possession of petrol bombs and throwing one of the devices.

Mr Justice Maguire said he was refusing bail because it was a sensitive time in Northern Ireland and there were a number of other parades coming up around the province.

Comments

6 Comments

Telling It Straight in Belfast wrote (299 days ago):

The PSNI ARE alllowed to call upon military assistance if required hence the Army helecopter footage.Concerned it would appear that your attention is focused on the security forces and not the rioters and gunmen THAT concerns me.But of course its easier to focus on the 'brits/ forces of occupation' etc . . . YAWN. . Time to move on !

Renard in Lisburn wrote (299 days ago):

No mention of this 'dog walking' on Mondays Bail Application!? Next we'll have 50 witnesses who say they saw him playing fetch with his dog in Kilwilkee..... Also, for 'Concerned in Magherafelt', this was allowed to happen because the British Army can Patrol the United Kingdom, and are legally empowered to gather evidence and intelligence for the purpose of solving and preventing crime

bill in belfast wrote (300 days ago):

ha ha walking his dog classic ! whatever happened to " he was out getting his old gran milk " (at 3 in the morning) lol

desi dornan in north down wrote (300 days ago):

'Concerned' in Magherafelt needs to wise up. Serious rioting, shots fired at police and you are concerned that an army helicopter was used to record images of those responsible! Grow up and move forward, come out of the shadow of the past that you are clearly living in. Northern Ireland has come a long way but we have a long way to go. People like you untie the shoelaces of people that are walking on that journey...

Concerned in Magherafelt wrote (300 days ago):

Hold on a minute, it says he was seen via pictures that came from an 'army helicopter'. Serious questions need to be asked of WHY this was allowed to happen.

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