Northern Ireland riots and immigration: ​Judge refuses bail over ‘sinister messages’ on Facebook

Refusing to grant bail to Nathan Gilbert Clifford, District Judge Peter King told the 32-year-old given the “ongoing disorder” where the homes of people in ethnic minority communities were being targeted, the messages he sent were “menacing and sinister.”

It was in those circumstances, the judge told Coleraine Magistrates Court, that he was refusing bail.

Appearing handcuffed in the dock Clifford, from Drumahoe Gardens in Larne, confirmed he understood the three charges against him, alleged to have been committed on 11, 13 and 14 June this year.

In addition to possessing class B cannabis, Clifford is alleged to have published material on Facebook which was capable of encouraging or assisted others to commit riot, criminal damage or affray.

It is further alleged that by doing so, it was an improper use of a telecommunication network to send a message of a menacing nature.

Giving evidence to the court, Det. Const. Deery said the alleged offences arose from posts on a Facebook page entitled “Larne anti immigration protests” as well as messages from the page’s admin.

She told the court that from data obtained from Meta and Facebook, as well as email and IP addresses, Clifford can be linked to that page and can be shown to be the author of the messages and posts.

In those messages, Clifford allegedly “pointed out” where foreign nationals were living and he also called for people to protest outside the offices of the Housing Executive in Larne.

The court heard that one of the posts declared that “if boys want to go and riot on the main road, we do not disagree but do disagree with wrecking our own town.”

DC Deery said police were objecting to bail due to the risk of Clifford committing further offences if he was released given the allegation that he was “highlighting addresses of people in the Roma community in the face of ongoing public disorder.”

She revealed that despite the evidence from Meta and the ability of police to link the anti-immigration page to him, Clifford “denied responsibility for it.”

Under cross examination from defence solicitor Kevin McAllister, it was put to the officer whether police accept that Clifford was “not directly involved” in the serious disorder which saw Larne Leisure Centre being set on fire.

She told him however the defendant is “under investigation to being at the riot,” adding that during police interviews Clifford “said that it was a protest not a riot.”

DC Deery did concede that Clifford was granted police bail while police conduct further enquiries into any alleged role he played in the relation to inciting the arson attack.

Applying for bail, Mr McAllister submitted the police “are trying to link him the arson attack but that is a stretch too far” and he further contended that if strict conditions were imposed, that Clifford could be released.

Judge King disagreed however and remanded Clifford into custody, ordering that he will appear again on 10 July.