Ballymena riots: Man threatened with jail for throwing paper cup of water
A Ballymena man who appeared in court today charged with riotous behaviour by throwing a cup of water was granted bail.
After some back and forth between the police, prosecution and District Judge Nigel Broderick, Ballymena Magistrates’ Court heard there was no police objections to Stephen Bell being freed on bail.
Appearing handcuffed in the dock 27-year-old Bell, from Staffa Drive in the town, was charged with riotous behaviour at Clonavon Road on June 10.
While he confirmed that he understood the charge, he initially declined to have legal advice, asking the judge “what’s the point?”.
Judge Broderick told him that given the seriousness of the charge, “there is a real risk that you could get a custodial sentence” so after advising Bell to instruct a solicitor, the judge rose for a time to allow the defendant to consider his options.
A short time later, Bell was brought back into court where he was represented by defence solicitor John McAtamney.
A prosecuting lawyer highlighted that unlike the other defendants who have been charged, Bell faces an accusation of riotous behaviour rather than assembly.
The court heard Bell, who works in a local chip shop, had made admissions to the offences during police interviews, described by Mr McAtamney as coming “at the low end of the scale”.
The prosecutor outlined how Bell “threw a paper cup of water, once, and that was it”.
Bell was freed on his own bail of £500 under conditions, with the case due back in court on July 24.