Two men accused of rioting in Waterside

Two men have appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court charged in connection with rioting in the Waterside earlier this year.
By The Newsroom
Published 4th Jun 2021, 12:43 BST
The courthouse at Bishop Street, Derry.The courthouse at Bishop Street, Derry.
The courthouse at Bishop Street, Derry.

Travis Kee (18 of Hayfield Park, Newbuildings, and 35-year-old Christopher O’Bryan, of Stevenson Park, Tullyally, are charged with rioting on March 31, this year.

An investigating officer told the court he believed he could connect both defendants to the charge.

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A prosecutor said that a number of similar cases are going through the system and due to the ‘sheer volume’ of electronic material, a full file will be required.

Kee was released on continuing bail to appear again on July 15.

In relation to O’Bryan, the court was told by police there had been a breach of police bail.

The investigating officer said the 35-year-old had breached bail by being 10 minutes late for his curfew.

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The officer said that normally such a minor breach would be treated with some discretion.

However, he said that given O’Bryan’s previous convictions and ‘what he is now charged with’ it was decided to bring the matter to the attention of the court.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that the defendant had ‘a very bad record’.

The judge granted bail and warned O’Bryan that any further breach of the conditions would result in custody.
O’Bryan will also appear in court again on July 15.

The disorder in the Waterside at the end of March was part of wider rioting in different areas across the North.