Co Antrim man accused of rioting in Ballymena must remain in custody

Curtis Agnew Dunlop (23), of Lanntara, Ballymena, is currently in custody charged with a single count of rioting.

A prosecution lawyer told the High Court that on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, serious racially-motivated public disorder took place in Ballymena.

She said hundreds of people were present including groups of masked people and there was also a very strong police presence given the incidents which had happened a few days before this.

"At approximately 8pm this applicant was observed in Bridge Street, Ballymena, unmasked, with his hood up and carrying a bottle of cider,'' said the prosecution barrister.

"Moments later he takes his jacket off and uses it to cover his face. He appears for a second time in the same area unmasked and takes his t-shirt off and puts it around his face. At 8.35 pm he throws a piece of masonry at a police vehicle.''

The court heard that at 8.50pm Dunlop is seen running towards police vehicles throwing his right knee on top of the vehicle hitting the window with a plastic bottle. At 8.55pm he is alleged to have thrown a firework at a police vehicle and minutes later throws a bottle at police lines in Bridge Street.

"Between 9.31pm and 9.48pm the applicant is seen throwing multiple items with other rioters in a prolonged attack on police,'' said the prosecutor. "Police warnings were issued to vacate the area but this applicant ignores this and continues to throw masonry and paint at police vehicles.''

She told Mr Justice Humphries that at 10.48pm Dunlop was allegedly observed assisting in the burning of bins blocking the Larne Road Link where he was subsequently arrested.

During interviews with police Dunlop answered "no comment'' to all questions put to him.

The court heard Dunlop has eight previous convictions and police objected to him being released on bail.

"Police have evidence that the applicant was involved in this serious racially-motivated and aggravated public disorder which has resulted in significant damage to property and injury to police,'' submitted the prosecutor.

"There is a strong public feeling in the area and there has been significant media coverage. Police believe it is important to send a strong public message to deter further persons getting involved in any rioting in the area.''

The prosecutor said police believed that if Dunlop is granted bail it could lead to further breaches of public order and had breached his bail conditions seven times in recent years. Police also believe he is a high risk of reoffending.''

She said police had concerns about one bail address which was his mother's house in Ballymena. The prosecutor told the court that there were also concerns around a second address, his sister's house, on the Donegall Road in south Belfast. "His sister has a criminal record. Police have been called to that address on 900 occurrences.'' Defence barrister Mark O'Connor said that during the course of his police interview Dunlop twice denied the offence of rioting.

He told the court that no evidence of rioting was put to him and he wasn't shown any CCTV footage of him rioting.

"The applicant has never served a period of time in custody and the last month has been very distressing for him,'' said Mr O'Connor. "Before his arrest he was due to start a course as a football coach with the King's Trust which is still available to him and he would take that up if he was released on bail by this court.''

The court heard Dunlop's sister has a number of convictions for drug offences along with one for public disorder. Mr O'Connor said her last conviction was in 2021 and she has "made efforts to break her cycle of offending over the last four years”.

Mr Justice Humphries said the court had to determine the risk of reoffending and if that could be mitigated by the imposition of bail conditions.

"The court must take into account when it is assessing the risk of reoffending the nature of that risk and public disorder is a matter that is of significant concern to the whole community, particularly when it results in attacks on members of ethnic minorities, businesses and on the police.

"The prosecution in this case say the applicant was involved in serious violence in Ballymena and he was not just involved in a one-off incident but in repeated acts of violence.

"This included throwing masonry, bottles and fireworks at the police and also helping to set fire to bins in order to block the public highway and his involvement lasted a number of hours.''

Mr Justice Humphries said the rioting had had "significant consequences'' for a number of families who live, work and contribute to community life in Ballymena. "It has to be said many of those who perpetrated this violence do not contribute in any material way to the community in Ballymena because if they wished to, the last thing they would do is commit this type of offending and attack members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

"People who will engage in this violence are readily available to those perhaps more sinister forces who wish to stir up trouble.''

He said that although there has been "relative calm'' in the town in recent weeks "that can change in a heart beat''.

Pointing to Dunlop's criminal record, Mr Justice Humphries said the applicant was the type of person readily available to engage in acts of public disorder. He said the proposed bail addresses in Ballymena and Belfast were "entirely inappropriate''.

The judge noted that the Donegall Road had in the past "had its own issues around public disorder'' and his sister had convictions for disorderly behaviour and assault on police and received a 12 month suspended sentence in December 2021.

Dismissing the bail application, Mr Justice Humphries said: "I am just not satisfied that the two proposed addresses would give me comfort that the risk of reoffending by this young man could be properly mitigated.''