A Portadown man alleged to have been “directing” rioters in the town is set to have his case sent to the Crown Court.
Laurence Paul Creaney (38), of Woodside Green, is charged with riot, riotous assembly, assaulting and resisting police and possession of zopiclone on June 12 this year.
The case was mentioned at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday. The defendant is on remand in prison.
The case has been adjourned to December 12 for a preliminary enquiry – the legal step to send the matter to the Crown Court.
A police officer told a recent court “anti-immigration protests” had been held in Portadown.
Around 7.30pm on June 12 crowd of up to 300 was in the Jervis Street area and police say the defendant was a “directing member”.
He was “encouraging and directing the break-up of masonry, kerbstones, and directing other people with regards to the disorder”.
He approached police lines on multiple occasions throwing heavy masonry and bottles.
He also broke up furniture “to use as a shield to protect himself”.
At one stage he was three metres away and threw a large metal beer keg, “directed at police officers’ heads”. The keg hit a shield and fell to the ground and police were not injured by the keg.
He was later spotted outside a bar and when arrested he resisted. When searched he had zopiclone.
The previous court was told the defendant had 170 previous offences including six for riotous/disorderly behaviour.
He had been on prison release licence since January in regard to arson and his release licence was revoked following the June riot.
He had 14 previous bail breaches.
The officer said: “These protests were anti-immigration protests in an area where a lot of foreign nationals live and we would have serious concerns that if released he may get involved in something of a similar nature”.
A defence barrister told the earlier court the defendant has “learned his lesson” and has no intention of getting involved in any similar activity.
