A man who recently received a suspended jail term for pulling out a Nazi flag and punching a man in Portadown has been back in court, this time charged with attempted arson endangering life.
Jamie Taylor (36), formerly of Thomas Street in Portadown, made widespread headlines in recent months when he was sentenced for producing a Nazi flag from a coat and assaulting a man.
At the time Taylor was wearing a t-shirt which said: ‘Stop importing, Start deporting’.
That incident was in February and in April the defendant was given a six monhs prison term, suspended for two years, on charges including assault and disorderly behaviour.
He was before the same court – Craigavon Magistrates’ Court – on Friday, this time via video link from prison after being previously remanded in custody on the arson charge at a court earlier this week.
He is charged with attempted arson of an oil tank intending to endanger the life of a male on June 27 this year.
He is also charged with criminal damage to an oil tank and possessin of cannabis.
No details were given to Friday’s Court about the background to the June 27 allegations.
A prosecutor said the full case file is due with her department from police by August 11.
A defence lawyer said the defendant had appeared at Lisburn Magistrates’ Court on Monday on the arson charge and the case had been adjourned until today to check a bail address.
He said that bail address is now deemed suitable and a police officer confirmed he had no objection.
The defendant was given £300 bail to an address at Tunstall near Ipswich in England.
He is to have no contact directly or indirectly with two individuals; he is not to be in Portadown; is not to be under the influence of alcohol in public; and there is a 10pm-6am curfew.
The case was adjourned to July 31.
Regarding the previous case for which the defendant was sentenced in April, that court was told a man was punched in the face in Portadown by Taylor who was carrying a Nazi flag and was wearing a t-shirt which said ‘Stop importing, Start deporting’.
Taylor had admitted assault and being disorderly in Portadown.
He also caused criminal damage to a car and resisted a police officer in the execution of her duty.
A prosecutor said the assault was “aggravated by hostility on racial grounds”. The injured party had attended and was in the public gallery of the court.
The prosecutor said the resisting police charge was “aggravated on religious grounds”.
The court was told that at 8.30am on Friday February 27 this year a man was at Thomas Street when the defendant, who was not known to him, shouted at him across the street.
The defendant unzipped a jacket to show a black t-shirt which said: ‘Stop importing, Start deporting’.
Taylor then walked towards the man and pulled out a “red, black and white Nazi flag from his chest pocket”.
The injured party began to record the incident and, a prosecutor said, the man said the defendant was a “racist c*nt”.
The defendant replied: “You haven’t seen the f*ckng racists” whilst “bunching up the flag in his right hand and then swung a punch at the injured party which connected to the left side of his jaw”.
The injured party tried to get away but was caught by Taylor who grabbed his backpack. The man was able to free himself and make-off.
A video of the altercation was shown to police.
A witness told police his wife’s car was “covered in flour” and there was a “trail of flour” leading to an address at Thomas Street.
When police went to an address at Thomas Street there was flour on the floor. The defendant was wearing clothing including the t-shirt similar to in the video.
When arrested the defendant became disorderly and was shouting. He resisted police.
A defence lawyer said the “gravity” of the offending was “not lost” on the defendant who had spent two days in custody before getting bail.
The defendant had pleaded guilty.
The defendant, it was said, had been “heavily under the influence” at the time of the offence but has been “pro-active” in addressing his issues.
The defendant had a record of 25 offences.
The defence said the defendant accepted a victim impact statement was “quite harrowing”.
Deputy District Judge Gerard Trainor told the April court the incident had a “profound impact” and the victim had “fear for his own family”.
Regarding the defendant’s behaviour the judge said: “This conduct and behaviour on the streets of this country is just not acceptable in any right-thinking society”
He added: “To utter the words that he uttered is not something I can just put down to mental health, alcohol or anything else. This is racism through and through, naked”.
The judge said the defendant must think the court is in a “trance” if he thought he was going to get Community Service.
He told the defendant: “You come onto a public street at 8am wearing a shirt saying ‘stop importing, start deporting’ and you displayed that shirt to this gentleman, have you anything to say about that?”
The defendant told the court he was “sorry to the injured party.”
The judge replied: “I am not convinced you are sorry. Because not only that, you pulled out of your pocket a Nazi flag. I and this court and anybody listening is just appalled by your behaviour”.
Judge Trainor handed down a custodial sentence of six months but said the immediate guilty plea, a “break” in the criminal record and the contents of a Probation report, meant he was suspending it for two years.
A two year Restraining Order was also put in place.
