Riot accused teen 'injured PSNI officer'

Published Tuesday, 04 September 2012
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A 17-year-old boy arrested during serious rioting in north Belfast is accused of inflicting a significant leg injury on a police officer, a court has heard.

Riot accused teen 'injured PSNI officer'
An injured police officer is tended to by a colleague at Carlisle Circus. (© Pacemaker)

The teenager, who can't be named because of his age, is accused of involvement in the disorder at Carlisle Circus on Sunday.

He was refused bail during an appearance at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, after the court was told that the ongoing violence is putting the lives of both police and the public at risk.

The boy has been charged with riotous assembly, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault on police and resisting arrest.

Trouble first flared on Sunday, in the wake of a republican parade in the area and an opposing protest by loyalists, and continued on Monday night.

Missiles including bricks, fireworks and petrol bombs have been thrown at police during the two nights of rioting and more than 60 officers have been injured.

"This young man ventured from his home down to this area and participated in this violence," a constable claimed, while opposing the bail application.

Objections to bail were made in part because of a lack of a suitable address for the teenager away from the scene of the disorder.

His defence lawyer told the court that her client suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mental health problems, adding that his mother was the person capable of caring for him.

But District Judge Fiona Bagnall rejected claims that suitable bail conditions could be imposed.

"His address is keeping him within an area of temptation," she said.

The teenager was remanded in custody to appear before Belfast Youth Court via video link on 26 September.

© UTV News
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3 Comments
tomc in Belfast wrote (259 days ago):
Alex in Ballyclare - good to see you focus in on the real aspect here, which is condemning the abject, mindless, thugish, criminal violence displayed and enacted towards the police, and the terrorism of the elderly in the nursing home....oh that's right, you didn't, you tried to turn it back to a polical dig at republicans. ALL RIOTS ARE PLANNED!
bigmac in belfast wrote (260 days ago):
@alex b/clare think you will find it was the police who said it was planned gerry kelly was repeating what they had said.
Alex in Ballyclare wrote (260 days ago):
I do not condone any violence. What I don't understand is when the trouble started at Ardoyne on the twelth night. Gerry Kelly said it wasn't planned and when it happened on Sunday it is planned. Also the way UTV report these stories seems to me it always the fault of the loyalists. The poor republicans beeing put down again. Gerry your way or no way ! Time to wise up to these so called republicans who want to live in harmony in NORTHERN IRELAND UK
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