Sandy Row riot accused claims he 'only followed crowd to where things were going to kick off'
An alleged rioter opened gates and helped push a car through them before it was set on fire during disorder in Belfast, a court heard today.
Police claimed Matthew Brogan, 28, played an organisational role in the serious disorder which broke out after an anti-immigration protest in the city.
Brogan, with a hostel address at Utility Street in Belfast, denies involvement and claimed he was only trying to prevent damage to the vehicle.
He was refused bail on charges of riotous assembly, aiding and abetting arson, and possession of class A drugs.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard Brogan was observed on aerial footage of unrest in the Sandy Row area on August 3.
He then opened a set of gates on nearby Wellwood Street and assisted others in rocking a Vauxhall Astra to move it, according to police.
The car was set alight, causing £700 worth of damage and destroying bank cards and £200 in cash in a wallet belonging to the owner.
Brogan was arrested after a member of the public identified him among images of suspects which police released to the media.
A yellow high-visibility t-shirt matching clothing worn by one of the alleged rioters was seized from his room, along with a small quantity of cocaine.
During interviews he admitted being in the footage dressed in that top and attending the scene for three hours but denied taking part in the disorder.
Brogan told police that he was only there to watch and had followed a crowd to where he thought events would “kick off”.
“In regards to opening the gate for the vehicle to be moved and set alight, he stated that he was just making sure the car didn’t hit the gate or get damaged,” an investigating detective disclosed.
Brogan’s barrister, Sean O’Hare, challenged police assertions that his client played any leading role in the violence.
“The defendant accepts he was out of his address but this is the first time anybody has raised issues about him being an organiser or manager of anybody else involved,” Mr O’Hare stressed.
But the detective claimed: “He was engaging with masked individuals throughout and appeared on numerous occasions when roadworks were being moved in close proximity to all this.”
Refusing Brogan’s application for bail, District Judge Francis Rafferty said: “I have heard many explanations thus far from people claiming to be walking their dogs to people claiming to be going to McDonalds and finding themselves just simply observing.
“This applicant has indicated he was present for a number of hours at the scene of a riot and when a car was set on fire he facilitated the moving of that car by opening a gate and indeed, on the police account, assisted in the rocking of the car so it could be moved.
“There are no circumstances in which he could be released on bail in the current situation.”
Brogan was remanded in continuing custody until September 12.