House smashed up with snooker cue in suspected racial attack
An intruder smashed up a house with a snooker cue and ordered two occupants to get out of the area during a suspected racial attack in east Belfast, a court heard today.
Andrew McDonagh, 42, allegedly threatened to burn their home to the ground if the two foreign national men did not leave Castlereagh Place.
McDonagh insists he only remonstrated with them over claims they had been taking photographs of a child in the neighbourhood.
Details emerged as he was refused bail on charges of intimidation, aggravated burglary and criminal damage.
McDonagh, of Woodstock Road in the city, faces further counts of threats to damage property endangering life and possession of an offensive weapon over the incident on July 15 this year.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard the alleged victims, two cousins, were at home when an irate and intoxicated man staggered inside while carrying a snooker cue.
The intruder shouted at the pair to get out before smashing a glass table and two front windows, according to police. At one point he allegedly approached them with the cue raised.
An investigating detective said: “The male left the property after shouting ‘if you’re not out of here by the end of the week we will come back and burn this place to the ground’.”
With the incident treated as racially-motivated by police, both complainants have since left that part of the city. “The victims did not believe they could remain in the area,” the detective added.
During police interviews McDonagh accepted that he had been heavily intoxicated but provided completely different reasons for his alleged actions.
His barrister indicated the complainants were believed to have taken photographs of a child on a number of occasions.
The court heard that a woman living in the same area had made up to 15 complaints to police about the cousins. “It had nothing to do with the race of these two men, it was purely that they had been taking inappropriate photos,” counsel submitted.
“Unfortunately an altercation did take place, but (McDonagh’s) version of events is significantly different to the prosecution.”
Refusing bail and remanding him in custody until September 30, District Judge Anne Marshall stated that any genuine issues should be dealt with through the police.
She added: “You do not go round with a snooker cue, smash up people’s property and tell them to get out and leave the area.”