Arrest warrant for man who threatened to shoot Jamie Bryson

Newtownards Magistrates’ Court heard how 22-year-old Miceal Che Donnelly was “too stressed” to come to court for his contest, but after he convicted Donnelly of improperly using a public communications network to send a matter that was “grossly offensive or indecent,” District Judge Mark Hamill issued a warrant for his arrest.

“That will add to his stress levels I’m afraid,” said the judge, adding a warning that “people don’t operate in a vacuum on Facebook”.

Earlier he heard that Donnelly, from Rosemary House on the Falls Road, sent Mr Bryson a message on Facebook threatening to shoot him.

Donnelly had also been accused of sending a menacing message and sending an article conveying a threat, but those two lesser offences were withdrawn when Judge Hamill convicted Donnelly on the first count.

Quoting the message, a prosecuting lawyer told the court Donnelly had written to the loyalist flag protestor turned political campaign manager declaring: “Tell ya what see if I ever come across you I would be happy to put you in a coffin you uneducated wee p***k – I would shoot you if I had the opportunity.”

Mr Bryson told the judge that when he received the message on September 11 2014, “obviously I took it as a threat to my life”.

Arrested and interviewed Donnelly claimed the message had been “tongue in cheek” and while he admitted sending it, “no distress was intended” and he was drunk at the time.

Conceding that Donnelly’s excuse for his non-attendance was not acceptable, defence barrister Chris Holmes submitted the threat was not intended and that the judge could convict on one of the less serious offences given that “he apologises for it – it was stupid”.

Judge Hamill asked, however, how he could make an assessment of Donnelly’s intention “if he doesn’t even bother to come to court?”.

“Convict on the first count, which is the most serious,” declared the judge, adding “surely he will show enough interest to come to court and appeal it before the County Court”.

Outside the court, Mr Bryson said he was “pleased” at the conviction.

“This is the third person in the space of six months to find themselves convicted of issuing threats against me – they should think a bit more sensibly in the future,” he said.