Street preacher accused of rant
A street preacher allegedly subjected Belfast’s deputy lord mayor to a foul-mouthed rant outside city hall, the High Court heard yesterday.
Prosecutors claimed councillor Paul Doherty had to retreat amid fears Colin Houston would assault him during last week’s confrontation.
Houston, 61, is also accused of swearing at council security staff who asked him to take down a Jesus flag, and then injuring two PSNI officers.
The Christian pastor, of Forthriver Way in Belfast, faces charges of common assault, three assaults on police, disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest over the incidents.
He was granted bail but barred from returning to the city centre.
Houston allegedly became abusive while standing at the gates of city hall with a loud speaker and flag on March 23.
It was claimed that he initially shouted at an elderly member of the public.
Mr Doherty, an SDLP councillor, alleged the street preacher then directed his aggression at him during a confrontation in the grounds.
“He shouted at him in an aggressive manner ‘it’s your f***ing fault things are happening in Belfast, you and the rest of them, you’ll get your comeuppance,” Crown counsel submitted.
“Mr Doherty feared he would be assaulted by Mr Houston so he moved away to his place of work within city hall.”
Photographs were taken from inside the building and shown to police who identified the defendant.
Two members of the city council’s security staff also made claims he verbally abused them following a request to remove his flag from the railings.
By the time officers arrived Houston had left the area, but he was located later that day at Cornmarket in the city centre.
Mr Justice Fowler heard he became disorderly and struggled as attempts were made to arrest him.
“As a result of his actions three officers were assaulted and two were injured,” counsel said.
“He stated ‘you wouldn’t be doing this to Muslims, you wouldn’t be doing this to Hare Krishna, but you do it to a Christian’.”
During interviews Houston accepted having an interaction with the deputy lord mayor, but denied assaulting or abusing him.
He maintained that he had called the security guards nothing more abusive or threatening than “assholes”.
Turlough Madden, defending, argued Houston should not be kept in custody on charges expected to remain at magistrates’ court level.
Stressing he was not attempting to downplay the seriousness of the allegations, the barrister said: “The height of the prosecution is disorderly behaviour where foul language was used and a common assault against the deputy lord mayor.”
Mr Madden added that his client was seeking release to help care for his elderly mother.
Despite expressing concern over the number of incidents allegedly involving Houston, the judge decided to grant him bail.
Mr Justice Fowler ordered him not to contact the deputy lord mayor.